Manchester United prodigy JJ Gabriel has been described as a talent 'different to anything this country has seen before' by one of his early coaches. The 15-year-old has taken the under-18 side by storm since making his debut aged just 14, scoring 20 goals in the U18 Premier League and 25 in 31 matches overall this season.
Gabriel's rise has attracted attention from top clubs including Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but United persuaded him to stay. He has already trained with the first team, with Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo noting on a podcast that 'the little guy has something special'.
Raised in London, Gabriel honed his skills playing futsal. Alfie Brooks of Ole Futsal, who coached him from age six, credits an intense technical programme for his development. 'He is genuinely two-footed and can go both ways, which makes him extremely unpredictable,' Brooks told the Telegraph. 'JJ is a unique talent and different to anything this country has seen before.'
Gabriel is too young to play in the Premier League this season, as players must be 15 by August 31. He turned 15 in October. However, he is expected to feature in pre-season and could make his senior competitive debut next season.
Fans can see Gabriel in action on Friday night when United's U18s face Crystal Palace in the FA Youth Cup semi-finals at Old Trafford.
