Man Utd could unleash ‘special’ 15-year-old star JJ Gabriel in FA Cup this weekend | Football

Manchester United believe they have another superstar on their hands in 15-year-old JJ Gabriel – and could hand him a first-team debut against Brighton in the FA Cup this weekend.

The teenager is considered one of the most exciting prospects in world football and United have already fought tooth and nail to keep him Manchester with Barcelona among his admirers.

Despite his tender years, he joined the Under-18s set up this season where his remarkable rise has accelerated, scoring 11 goals in 14 appearances – including a hat-trick in a 7-0 thrashing of Liverpool in November.

It also took him just 21 minutes to score his first goal at Old Trafford last month in an FA Youth Cup match against Peterborough.

The forward doesn’t turn 16 until October but has already trained with the first-team on numerous occasions, joining the seniors again on Monday.

United’s rich history of promoting youth needs no explanation but there is growing expectation Gabriel will break through and play for the first-team far earlier than any of their legendary names managed after emerging from the academy.

‘He really stands out for me,’ said Wes Brown, one of the many to pass through the academy and become a first-team star in Manchester. ‘Confident, clever on the ball, always seems to have time. You can’t teach that. He’s got something special.’

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Gabriel’s thrilling form this season has come directly under the watchful eye of Darren Fletcher, United’s Under-18s head coach who has been drafted in to oversee the first-team this week.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick are expected to arrive to see United through until the end of the season but Fletcher will remain in charge for the visit of Brighton on Sunday.

And Gabriel could be part of his plans that afternoon.

Is JJ Gabriel eligible to play for the Man Utd first-team?

Arsenal’s teenage gem Max Dowman has made five appearances for the first-team this season aged just 15. But Premier League rules prevent Gabriel from doing so for United this term.

Rules state a player can only feature in the Premier League if they are aged 15 by 31 August. Having only turned 15 in October, Gabriel must wait until the 2026-27 campaign to make his mark on the English top flight.

Dowman, who turned 15 last December, comfortably made that cut-off.

FA Cup rules are different, however. Chris Rigg was 15 years, six months and two days when he came off the bench to help Sunderland beat Shrewsbury Town in the third round of the competition in January 2023.

In October last year, Marshall Heys made his Salford City debut at 15 years, two months and six days in a first round match, also against Shrewsbury Town, to become the youngest player to appear for a professional side in the competition.

An academy player under the age of 16 can play in the FA Cup, providing they are registered correctly and a letter of consent has been provided to the FA from the player’s parent or guardian and school.

The Daily Mail report there is belief Gabriel could be included in the matchday squad on Sunday, handing him the chance to become the club’s youngest player in history.

While a debut under Fletcher would be fitting with nostalgia and club history firmly part of the narrative, plans to accelerate Gabriel’s development have been in place all season.

Breakthrough talks involving United’s chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox kept him in Manchester last year.

In addition to training with the first-team, Gabriel has been invited into the director’s box on matchdays and met with Sir Alex Ferguson, a man who knows a thing or two about spotting and placing trust in emerging talent.

Former boss Ruben Amorim was also fully aware of the burgeoning talent at the club. ‘Like everyone, I know he is a really talented guy.’

If a record-breaking debut is on the cards, it is part of a long-term plan rather than a reactive decision during a time where the club is in transition.

What position does JJ Gabriel play?

Possessing outrageous skill and balance and outstanding ability with either foot, the hype is certainly justified with his style reminiscent of a young Neymar.

While he is a versatile attacking option either out wide or through the middle, most his football this season has come as a false nine under Fletcher.

It’s a role he has thrived in, demonstrating he has the composure and end product to follow the wizardry.

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