Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel got another taste of Old Trafford at the final league game of the season.
JJ Gabriel has just put together one of the most impressive individual seasons in recent memory at academy level.
Gabriel scored 27 goals in all competitions, a remarkable achievement, and one that is even better considering the context; he is only 15-years-old.
The teenager won the Jimmy Murphy Player of the Year Award for the best under-18s player.
He was presented with the award at Old Trafford for Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
JJ Gabriel has been prolific in 2025/26: What is your INSTANT REACTION to his stunning academy season?
He won the U18s Premier League Player of the Year
JJ Gabriel looking ahead to pre-season
Manchester United presented JJ Gabriel with his award at Old Trafford along with Tyler Fletcher, who landed the under-21s Denzil Haroun Award.
Gabriel penned a message to supporters on Instagram, where he pledged to see them for pre-season.
“It’s a great honour to be awarded the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the year.
“Thank you to everyone at @manutd. I’d also like to thank all the fans for their continued support.
“See you in pre-season ⚽️”
Gabriel’s message about pre-season is significant, because he is expected to start taking his first real strides towards first team football.
This season Gabriel has not been permitted to play Premier League matches due to his age. That changes from 2026/27.
What do YOU think of Manchester United’s pre-season schedule for 2026?
Gabriel has been regularly training with the first team
JJ Gabriel has been training with the Manchester United first team on a regular basis.
First team star Bryan Mbeumo praised the teenager, commenting: “He’s good, really good. He’s often with us in training and you can feel and see that he’s got something special.
“Everything is easy for him. He has a lot of composure in front of goal, he has a good shot, and he’s technically strong.”
United will handle Gabriel cautiously, but it does look likely that he will get the chance to step up in 2026/27.
Pre-season is his first opportunity to demonstrate that he can handle it, and he sounds determined to be ready,
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