Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has hailed teenager JJ Gabriel and urged him to stay at the club.
Gabriel is widely regarded as one of the most promising players in the United academy, showing huge potential beyond his years.
The 15-year-old was crowned the 2025/26 U18 Premier League Player of the Year after scoring 23 goals in 23 appearances.
Gabriel is already impressing with Man United U21s, chipping in with two goals and two assists in Premier League 2. He ranks second for goal involvements in the division.
Giggs, speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, believes the England youth international is at the right club and should not consider a loan move to gain first-team experience.
“In my view, JJ is sort of a generational talent. He’s got to stay at Man United. There’s no point in going out on loan because he’s at the best place and he’d be dipping in and out of the first team. So that experience is invaluable.
“You know, not only the games and the training, but actually travelling with the team, seeing the expectation of Man United, you’re seeing all sort of, the focus is so huge on Manchester United. You need to get used to that”.
Gabriel trained with United’s first team last season before featuring for Michael Carrick’s side for the first time in a friendly against Atletico Madrid last month. He was also an unused substitute in three friendlies.
The promising forward needs to exercise patience to break into the first team, considering the competition for places.
Forward Shea Lacey, who also impressed at the Red Devils academy before his promotion to the first team, is not getting game time. He still features for the U21s to preserve his match fitness.
Gabriel needs to keep working hard with United’s development side. There is a ‘growing expectation‘ that he could make his first-team debut this season.
The England-born forward could become United’s youngest-ever competitive debutant, potentially surpassing the current record held by the late goalkeeper David Gaskell.
Gabriel could make his UEFA Youth League debut on Thursday when Man United host Azerbaijani side Sabah.