Manchester United have confirmed that 15-year-old JJ Gabriel will be part of their pre-season tour of mainland Europe, giving the youngster a potential route to a senior debut. The forward scored 21 goals in 23 appearances for the under-18s last season and is now eligible for first-team selection after age restrictions ended.
United finalised their summer schedule, which begins against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18, before facing Rosenborg in Trondheim the following Friday. The tour continues with matches against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on August 1 and European champions Paris St Germain in Gothenburg on August 8, with further fixtures against Leeds in Dublin on August 12 and AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland on August 15.
Gabriel is expected to feature in at least the early friendlies, and could earn more playing time if he impresses. With several United players still recovering from World Cup duty, the club is keen to demonstrate a clear pathway to the first team.
Michael Carrick, who invited Gabriel to train with the senior squad last season, spoke about the teenager in March. "He's too young" for a matchday squad, but Carrick added: "JJ's doing really well. We've got some really good players in the academy and we try and get the younger players up as much as we can. JJ is a big talent, it is pretty obvious."
Director of football Jason Wilcox said the fixtures across five countries and six cities would provide strong preparation for the 2026-27 season and a chance to connect with supporters across Europe.
