Bryan Mbeumo previously predicted that JJ Gabriel could thrive as a winger for Manchester United ahead of the youngster's first-team debut. The 15-year-old is one of the club's hottest prospects after rising to prominence last season.
Becoming the youngest-ever player for United's U18s at just 14 years old, he enjoyed a breakthrough season for Darren Fletcher's side. Gabriel netted 26 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions as the team reached the FA Youth Cup final.
Training with first team
Following his impressive displays, Gabriel also spent time training alongside Michael Carrick's first-team squad last season. Premier League regulations prevented the forward from making his league debut, as academy players must have turned 15 before the end of August to feature in that particular season.
Gabriel is now eligible for first-team action and could make his debut in the club's pre-season friendly against Rosenborg on Friday. The U18 Premier League Player of the Season missed United's recent 1-0 loss to Wrexham but was spotted in training earlier this week.
Mbeumo's praise
With Gabriel possibly on the verge of another step forward in his fledgling career, United star Mbeumo has already offered his thoughts on where the prolific academy sensation could best slot into the side. "He's actually kind of a winger, he's a dribbler and even in front of the box, I still think he's good, honestly," Mbeumo told Zack En Roue Libre in March.
"He's strong, the little guy is strong. Yeah, he's strong, he's really something, frankly... I think he's 15."
"You feel that he's bound to be a little kid but he trains quite a bit with us and actually you see, you can feel that the little guy has something special."
Gabriel is expected to travel with the United squad for their upcoming fixture against Rosenborg and has shown his determination to feature following the recent defeat to Wrexham. He posted on Instagram: "The longer you wait for something the more you appreciate it when you get it because anything worth having is worth waiting for."
Carrick urges patience
The England U17 international is likely to receive some playing time during pre-season as he aims to build on his swift progression through United's academy system. He has yet to make his United U21s debut but now has a chance to prove himself at senior level, although manager Michael Carrick has previously urged caution.
Speaking about Gabriel's development last season, Carrick said: "He's doing really well, JJ. We've got some really good young players in the academy and we try and get the younger players up [with the first team] as much as we can.
"We're always trying to give that exposure to the players to come and train and feel it."
The United manager added: "JJ is a big talent, it's pretty obvious to know that and he's had a really good season for the U18s. We obviously think an awful lot of him, but patience is important in managing everything that comes with that and working with him in development as we do with all the different younger players and picking the right moment to step up.
"What he's done when he's trained, he's done well, as you'd expect, and it's good to have the younger players come up with us."
