Manchester United’s academy is one of the best in the country, and last weekend, fans were able to witness the birth of a new star within the U18 side.
When Adam Lawrence announced his team sheet for the U18 Premier League clash with Leeds United on Saturday, there was a lot of excitement around the inclusion of JJ Gabriel on the bench.
The 14-year-old has been a name fans have been excited to see more of at Manchester United, as he has looked like a very special talent within the walls of Carrington, and now, finally, he has been afforded the opportunity to test himself against a higher level of opposition.
Saturday saw Gabriel make his U18 debut for United, and in the process scored two goals within two minutes during United’s 13-1 thrashing of Leeds, with some impressive moments on the ball adding to his impressive debut.
Gabriel showcased why he’s been tipped as the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo’s throne with his almost immediate impact on the U18 side, establishing himself as one of the club’s very best prospects.
This will only have added to the club’s desire to keep hold of him amid rumours of interest arriving from elsewhere.
READ: Man Utd under-18s top scorers and assists in 2024/25, all results
JJ Gabriel’s father on rumours of Manchester United exit
Due to the talent, it is thought that much of Europe’s elite have one eye on Gabriel’s development, with the ambition to sign him from United in the coming years.
Among those to be interested is believed to be Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the pair of Spanish giants potentially representing an exciting opportunity for the youngster who was once pictured alongside Lamine Yamal.
Gabriel’s Irish citizenship would mean a move abroad could be made at a younger age than if he were to only hold an English passport. The rumours around the prospect’s future have also seen his father, Joe O’Cearuill, involved with claims he has been looking to push for a move away from United, circulating his name around the continent.
But now, the father of Gabriel has hit back at these claims with a tweet on his X account on Tuesday.
“The amount of lies people post is crazy”, the former Irish professional footballer wrote.
“Please stop spreading false information about me and JJ. Someone writes some lies, and everyone jumps on the bandwagon.”
Manchester United must do everything to keep Gabriel
Gabriel may only be 14, but he already looks like a sensational talent who has superb ability, which is years ahead of his age right now. It is easy to see why Gabriel has been compared to Lionel Messi, with both sharing similar styles, while Neymar is another comparison made.
This was seen on his rise into U18 football, as he was physically half the size of some of the opposition, yet was able to run rings around them as his second goal in particular showed.
Gabriel was able to beat the defender and get himself into a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and had the final third quality to finish off the chance.
Before he left on loan, Marcus Rashford had an impact on Gabriel as the teenager revealed he had taken penalties with the academy graduate in his final training at Carrington.
United cannot let Gabriel slip from the club, he is the kind of player who comes around once in a generation and could be huge for United returning to the pinnacle of football.
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