Man Utd Have Plan To Replace JJ Gabriel With Portuguese Teenage Sensation
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Man Utd are keeping close tabs on Lens attacking midfielder Mezian Mesloub, according to reports.
TalkSPORT claim that club scouts have identified the teenager as a potential replacement for JJ Gabriel, who is expected to leave Old Trafford in the near future.
Mesloub has already played 5 senior games despite only being a year older than Gabriel.
It is believed that the Red Devils have been sending representatives on a regular basis to watch him in action over the past couple of months.
What do fans need to know about Mesloub?
The Portuguese youth international made his first-team debut for Lens against Nantes back in May. He also got on the scoresheet, bagging the winning goal.
This season, Mesloub has made 4 appearances in total. He grabbed an assist in his first Champions League game. Again, it was a decisive contribution, creating the equaliser for Florian Thauvin in stoppage time against Slavia Prague, before Ruben Aguilar secured a 3-2 victory.
After that game, the midfielder was handed his first start at senior level, playing the first hour of the 2-1 defeat to Monaco last Friday.
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Man Utd are resigned to losing Gabriel
Some reports suggested that Michael Carrick’s team were still optimistic about persuading the 15-year-old to stay in Manchester, but it appears those hopes have faded.
Several Premier League rivals, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, have been linked with signing Gabriel, but it is more than likely that he will move to a team in mainland Europe.
United are powerless if the teenager decides to make the switch abroad after his 16th birthday next month. As he holds an Irish passport, he can join another academy on the continent, with minimal compensation being paid to the Red Devils.
Gabriel has already held talks with Barcelona, while Real Madrid are also believed to be keen on securing his signature.