JJ Gabriel has quickly justified Marcus Rashford's belief in him, becoming a standout performer for Manchester United's Under-18 side this season. The 15-year-old, who is too young to make his Premier League debut this term, has already netted 18 times in 19 Under-18 Premier League appearances, alongside two goals in the FA Youth Cup.
Gabriel made his Under-18 debut at 14, becoming the youngest player in the club's history to feature in the Under-18 Premier League. He soon set another record as the youngest scorer, bagging a brace as a substitute in a 13-1 win over Leeds. Rashford, then on loan at Aston Villa, responded to Gabriel's social media post with the comment 'Future star' and a star emoji.
Since then, Gabriel's form has continued to impress. He has trained with the first-team squad under caretaker manager Michael Carrick, who praised the teenager's talent while stressing the need for patience. 'JJ is a big talent, it is pretty obvious and he has had a good season for the Under-18s,' Carrick said. 'We think an awful lot of him.'
Rashford, now on loan at Barcelona, recently updated his assessment after seeing images of Gabriel training with the senior side, commenting: 'Lil bro is a star' without the qualifier 'future'. Gabriel will aim to help United reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals when they face Sunderland on Wednesday, while Rashford is set to play for Barcelona against Newcastle in the Champions League.
