Manchester United's academy has produced some of the finest talents in English football history and it seems as though the next big thing is currently on their books
10:46, 07 Mar 2025
Brazil superstar Neymar
Brazil superstar Neymar may have a successor at Manchester United
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been on brutal cost-cutting mission since acquiring a stake in Manchester United last year.
The controversial co-owner has endured a nightmare 12 months at Old Trafford, with the fallen Premier League giants slumped in 14th in the table after a disastrous series of decisions on and off the field leaving morale at an all-time low.
But the silver lining for the under-fire Ineos boss is his club is famed for churning out top-notch young talent, with several of these players regularly featuring for the Red Devils under Ruben Amorim.
While Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have carved out spots in United's current squad, the next generation of academy stars are jostling to break through.
And it seems United may have one of their most promising talents yet in the form of 14-year-old JJ Gabriel. Despite his tender age, Gabriel is already making a splash at Carrington, having been promoted to the club's Under-18 team.
JJ Gabriel
The future looks bright for JJ Gabriel at Manchester United(Image: No credit)
The young prodigy has turned heads this season, netting 15 goals and providing six assists in just 13 appearances while playing against older competitors, reports the Mirror.
Gabriel, whose full name is Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel, is versatile in attack and can operate as both a striker and a winger, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Comparisons to footballing giants like Neymar and Lionel Messi have already been drawn due to Gabriel's skill and technical prowess. Nike even dubbed him 'the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo's throne' in their attempt to secure a sponsorship deal with him, as reported by The Mail.
Gabriel could save Sir Jim Ratcliffe a fortune in the transfer market if he lives up to his potential
Gabriel could save Sir Jim Ratcliffe a fortune in the transfer market if he lives up to his potential(Image: PA)
Given his youth, Gabriel is not yet ready to take up a spot in United's senior squad. However, his ability to shine among older peers highlighted by his Most Valuable Player accolade at a pre-season tournament in Hong Kong after impressing at the U16 level bodes well for his future.
Ratcliffe has made it clear that he prefers to unearth the next football sensation rather than splurge on established stars at their peak.
"In a way also, I would rather sign the next Mbappe rather than spend a fortune trying to buy success. It's not that clever is it buying Mbappe, anyone can figure that one out," Ratcliffe said on The Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast in March last year.
Article continues below
"What's much more challenging is to find the next Mbappe or the next [Jude] Bellingham or the next Roy Keane. The Class of 92 and Ronaldo was only 16 or 17 when he came. The solution is not to spend a lot of money on a couple of great players.
"They've done that if you look at the last 10 years. The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes in the organising of the club. Then make can get recruitment right. It's such a vital part of a football club today, getting recruitment right."