Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel is now the top scorer at under-18s in England this season.
JJ Gabriel is being tipped as the next big superstar. There are no limits on how good the young sensation can become. But there are so many variables ahead that nobody can definitively know what he will go on to achieve in the future.
What we can do is assess what JJ Gabriel is doing right now and examine it in relation to the players he is competing against at under-18s level.
JJ Gabriel celebrates scoring at Old Trafford in FA Youth Cup game
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
JJ Gabriel is U18s top scorer in the country
JJ Gabriel is the top scorer at under-18s for Manchester United this season. This record stands up against the entire league.
Gabriel has netted 16 league goals, more than any player in the competition this season for any club. The top scorers chart is below.
JJ Gabriel / Man Utd / 16 goals
Joshua Sonni-Lambie / Liverpool / 15 goals
Lorenz Hutchinson / Leicester City / 14 goals
Teddie Lamb / Man City / 14 goals
JJ Gabriel is only 15
The remarkable aspect about JJ Gabriel topping the goalscoring charts is that he is only 15-years-old, and has a better record than anybody else.
The three players below him in the scoring charts are all older, and two of them are 18.
We cannot even describe what Gabriel is doing right now as being comparative to his peers, because they are all playing under-16s football.
More United News
Gabriel has been moved up an age group and he is not just coping, he is not just contributing, he is dominating.
His most recent performance saw him net twice to lead United to a 6-1 win over Derby, where his trickery and work rate were both on show.
It is no surprise that Gabriel has already trained with Manchester United’s first team, despite his young age.
Where do you think JJ Gabriel will be by the time he is 18?🔮
He's been playing against 18-year-olds all season, but how good will he be in three years?
JJ Gabriel celebrates, in Man Utd red kit
Photo by Anthony Devlin/Manchester United via Getty Images
Gabriel actually has 19 goals
JJ Gabriel actually has 19 goals, not just 16. The tally of 16 relates only to league competition, and does not include cup games.
Gabriel has a further three goals, including a strike at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup, which has helped United along into the quarter-finals.
He is not the only top young prospect in United’s academy, with Louie Bradbury and Noah Ajayi each scoring a brace in the midweek win.
But what Gabriel is doing is really special. Even if he was 18 it would be impressive. To be doing it at 15 is quite phenomenal.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox