Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel is putting in the work ahead of pre-season, sending a clear message to manager Michael Carrick that he is ready for senior minutes.
Gabriel's pre-season preparations
The 15-year-old wonderkid, who turns 16 in October, will be eligible to play Premier League football next season. He has been training hard in the gym and on the training ground, as shown in videos shared by his father, Joe O'Cearuill.
One video showed Gabriel doing 12 minutes of kick-ups with a tennis ball before walking to the gym. Another collage of four videos highlighted his strength and speed work.
Gabriel has already trained with the first team under Carrick and his predecessor, Ruben Amorim. A senior debut is expected soon.
Carrick's pre-season plans
Carrick will be without several senior stars in July due to World Cup commitments. The first pre-season friendly is against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18.
Players not travelling to the World Cup will report back to training early, and Gabriel will be among them.
Fan reaction
Fans were impressed by Gabriel's dedication. One wrote: "What a player he's going to be for United, hopefully he will have a statue one day." Another added: "Work ethic makes me say this. If he has good people around him, he'll challenge for the Ballon d'Or."
Other academy talents
Gabriel is not the only United youngster preparing for pre-season. Kai Rooney, whose 2025/26 season was disrupted by injury, has been adding muscle in the gym.
United have six pre-season games, all away from Old Trafford, including matches against Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United, and AC Milan.
