Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel has wiped his Instagram profile clean of all photographs. The forward scored a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut during Thursday's commanding 5-0 victory over Sabah FK Under-19s.
Gabriel found the net in the 45th, 85th and 87th minutes to cement his reputation as one of the Reds' most promising prospects. He became the youngest-ever player to score a hat-trick for United in European competition, aged just 15 years and 339 days.
Mysterious social media move
The teenage sensation has captured supporters' imaginations with considerable buzz surrounding him at Old Trafford. However, the youngster has mysteriously deleted every image from his Instagram account, apparently offering no explanation.
There is widespread discussion about whether he might appear for Michael Carrick's senior squad in the Premier League this campaign. Top-flight regulations in English football dictate that a player must turn 15 on or before August 31 of a particular season to qualify for league selection. This meant he was ineligible to feature last season, but could now appear in 2026/27.
Senior debut in sight
Should Reds boss Carrick grant him an outing before his 16th birthday in October, the teenager would become United's youngest-ever senior player. The Reds academy players have benefited from U21 manager Adam Lawrence abandoning a 4-3-3 formation to replicate Carrick's 4-2-3-1 system.
The strategic shift should guarantee that United's youngsters, including Gabriel, possess a clearer grasp of their responsibilities when progressing to the senior squad. It's understood that the tactical adjustment enables Gabriel to study Bruno Fernandes' No. 10 role.
Carrick praise
Additionally, the U21s have mirrored Carrick's use of Matheus Cunha as a false nine by deploying Amir Ibragimov in attack. Carrick observed Gabriel make his United U21s bow last month. The 15-year-old found the net and provided two assists in a 5-0 victory over Ipswich Town, drawing commendation from the first team manager.
He said: "I thought the boys played ever so well, actually. Really good team, really strong team that we had, and you could see that the quality.
"I really enjoyed the game. Really pleased with the boys, the way they went about it. The quality, the attitude, everything about the game was really good. So, really encouraged by that."
"JJ is one of the boys. He's obviously got a really big talent. He's trained with us quite a bit. He's getting experience all the time. He's physically adapting to each step that he makes, and just continuing his development."
