Manchester United are famous for many things, but their youth academy has always stood out in particular. From the Class of ’92 to modern stars such as Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, the Red Devils have always had a very respectable development system.
Recently, a new potential wonderkid has risen to the fore. JJ Gabriel is picking up plenty of plaudits for his performances in the U18 Premier League, with some audiences backing him for long-term success.
Let’s take a closer look at United’s new starboy and determine just how good he actually is at this stage of his fledgling career. Can Gabriel become a first-team superstar at Old Trafford in the coming years?
Who is JJ Gabriel?
Having only turned 15 this month, Gabriel is understandbly far from the finished product – but his performances for United’s U18s have been extremely encouraging.
He has shown brilliant ball control, pinpoint finishing ability and a natural flair to his game at youth level. His ability to glide past defenders and hold them off is very impressive for such a young player. He has developing to do on the physical side, but this is only natural when his age is considered.
Gabriel shows great composure on the ball, too – something you don’t often seen in youth players. He doesn’t snatch at his chances – he is more than willing to wait to find the ideal opening for a shot.
Additionally, he isn’t a selfish player. Gabriel knows when to cut the ball back across goal or seek out a teammate, rather than taking the shot on himself. His decision making ability is far beyond his years – it’s a skill that most footballers do not pick up until they are at least 21 years of age.
JJ Gabriel’s Arsenal and Liverpool rivals
Gabriel isn’t the only youngster with bags of potential at a Premier League club. In the coming years, he will have contend with the likes of Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha and Arsenal’s Max Dowman, both of whom have made their mark in their respective senior teams.
Gabriel has yet to make this jump. He has been very impressive in the U18 Premier League, but has yet to be given a chance in the first team by Ruben Amorim. As such, it’s fair to say that both Ngumoha and Dowman are ahead of him at this stage in their respective careers.
Despite this, it is worth noting that Ngumoha is over two years older than Gabriel, while Dowman is ten months older. At such a young age, two years – or even ten months – can make a massive difference. Gabriel is still learning – it is important that he isn’t thrown into the deep end too soon.
They aren’t the only talented youngsters in the Premier League – Gabriel will also have to contend with wonderkids such as Chris Rigg, Estevao and Ethan Nwaneri as he rises up through the United ranks. However, he is younger than all of them – meaning he still has plenty of time to develop and grow as a footballer.