No normal 15-year-old footballer generates this much excitement, but JJ Gabriel is not a normal 15-year-old, which is why Fabrizio Romano has had to share the latest on his future.
JJ Gabriel is the gem of Man Utd’s academy, tearing up the competition at the U18s level despite being three years younger.
The excitement around him is such that he has already trained with the first team, met Ruben Amorim, and Man Utd rolled out the red carpet for him to convince him to sign.
Until he’s 17 and ready to sign a professional deal, however, the vultures will keep circling, and amid the news of Barcelona’s interest in Gabriel, Romano has shared the latest on his future.
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United during the U18's Premier League match.
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
JJ Gabriel’s Man Utd future latest
It is the good kind of headache when you’ve got a young player so talented that the whole world knows about him and is chomping at the bit to sign him.
Gabriel, as he holds a non-EU passport as well, can easily sign for another club in Europe, with Brexit rules having no adverse impact on his choices.
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JJ Gabriel in Manchester United warm-up sweater.
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This has led to competition from European heavyweights like Barcelona, who have been interested even before he signed an agreement to stay at United until the age of 16 at least.
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Amidst the latest links to Barcelona, Romano said on his YouTube channel, that the interest in Gabriel isn’t limited to just Barcelona, and Jason Wilcox is already envisioning him as a “crucial” part of the project as Man Utd pull out all stops to keep him.
Romano said, “It’s not just Barcelona or another club. There are several top clubs across Europe interested in JJ Gabriel.
“Last summer, Jason Wilcox changed the story by keeping Gabriel at Man Utd despite interest from several clubs by making him trust the project.
“He has already started training with the first team. He is seen as someone really special. At the moment, Barcelona are not in an advanced position compared to any other club.
“Man Utd are fighting to keep him. They trust this gem, and Jason Wilcox is pushing a lot. He believes Gabriel can be a crucial part of the project.”
Gabriel is shown trust, but he needs to show it too
The general consensus right now is that Man Utd cannot afford to lose Gabriel at any cost, such is his talent and potential.
While that view is largely understandable, at some point, Gabriel will also have to trust United that Old Trafford is the best place to continue his development.
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Ruben Amorim in Manchester United attire during loss to Everton.
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United have already promised him the world and back, and his U18s status and first-team training proves they are following up on their promise.
Now, Gabriel needs to buckle down, shut out the noise, and try to make the best of a brilliant situation where a club like United is throwing the kitchen sink at him to get him to stay.
At no point can he be made to feel like he’s doing United a favour by staying, because that can never end well. At that point, it would be better to part ways.
For a youngster as talented as him, rumours around his future are bound to keep popping up. United and Gabriel need to trust each other and keep his career at the forefront of any decisions.
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