This season has seen Manchester United’s JJ Gabriel light up the U18 Premier League as though it were easy, but his season is only just beginning.
Right now at Carrington, there is nobody more exciting than JJ Gabriel, with his performances leaving fans, pundits and coaches shocked.
Manchester United are very high on the 15-year-old, and coaches have struggled to believe how good Gabriel is despite his age.
This led to first-team training sessions, but Gabriel is still currently ‘bamboozling’ for the U18s, with 10 goals this season already in just nine starts.
But he will want to continue this scoring streak when the most iconic youth tournament, ‘The FA Youth Cup’, begins next week, but is he eligible?
JJ Gabriel celebrates for Manchester United U18.
Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Can JJ Gabriel play in the FA Youth Cup for Manchester United next week?
Over the weekend, the hype around Gabriel was officially re-lit after a poor run of form for the U18s while he was partaking in international competitions.
Gabriel scored a hat-trick against Liverpool U18 in the massive 7-0 victory, and this performance had fans wondering whether the 15-year-old would be eligible to play in the historic FA Youth Cup, which begins next week against Peterborough.
Well, during United U18 vs Liverpool, Liam Bradford declared Gabriel wouldn’t be able to play, but as it turns out, this isn’t exactly true.
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While the rules say a player had to be 15 before September 1st, this doesn’t apply to clubs from the Premier League, for which there is no age restriction.
Sum up JJ Gabriel in one word…🔥
JJ Gabriel celebrates for Manchester United.
Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
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This allowed Max Dowman to play last season for Arsenal in the competition against United, showing Gabriel’s potential trajectory over the next 12 months.
Dowman forced himself into Mikel Arteta’s plans over pre-season, and Gabriel will have similar plans for next summer. But he could hypothetically already be a first-team debutant by then.
JJ Gabriel can also play in the FA Cup
Despite his quality, Gabriel is too young to make his Premier League debut, as he will only be eligible from next season onwards.
Should Manchester United debut JJ Gabriel in the FA Cup this season?⭐️
Is he ready? Would it help United convince him to stay at the club?🤔
JJ Gabriel in Manchester United warm-up sweater.
Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
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However, with United desperate to retain Gabriel, there will be pressure to show him that first-team football is on the cards at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim is already showing interest in Gabriel, and the club could unanimously decide that the FA Cup is a good time to give the 15-year-old a cameo and show him that Carrington is the best place for his career.
Gabriel is eligible to play in the FA Cup this season for United, and while he might not be completely ready for the step up, it could be pivotal in convincing him of his future.
The future is so bright for Gabriel, and we can only hope that it comes at United.