JJ Gabriel hints at upcoming senior role at Man Utd as 15-year-old wonderkid signs off on 2025-26 campaign

Gabriel has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in the country. Following an exceptional season where he scored 23 goals in 23 league matches for the Under-18s, the teenager was awarded the prestigious Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year. Taking to Instagram to celebrate the achievement after a disappointing defeat to Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup final, Gabriel expressed his gratitude. "It’s a great honour to be awarded the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the year. Thank you to everyone at @manutd. I’d also like to thank all the fans for their continued support," he wrote.

The most telling part of his message came at the very end, where Gabriel boldly rounded off the post with: "See you in pre-season." This five-word hint suggests that Manchester United have decided to integrate the forward into the senior setup ahead of the next campaign. The club have reportedly been eager to create a clear pathway to the first team for the prodigy, who has already trained with the main group on numerous occasions. With several international stars expected to be absent due to the World Cup, the pre-season tour presents a golden opportunity for the youngster.

Interim manager Michael Carrick - who is set to sign a two-year deal as permanent manager - has closely monitored the attacker's development. Due to strict age regulations, Gabriel was ineligible for senior matchday squads as he was only 14 when the season began. Speaking in March, Carrick said: "He is not allowed [to be part of a first-team squad on a matchday]. He’s too young. JJ’s doing really well. We’ve got some really good players in the academy and we try and get the younger players up [with the main group] as much as we can. We’re always trying to give them that exposure. JJ is a big talent, it is pretty obvious and he has had a good season for U18s. We think an awful lot of him. But patience is important in managing everything that comes with that and developing him and picking the right moment to step up, to leave them in a certain place. He’s trained well and it is good to have young players up."

United kick off their pre-season campaign against Wrexham in Finland on July 18, before travelling to Norway to face Rosenborg. Gabriel will be hoping to feature prominently during this Scandinavian tour, which concludes against Atletico Madrid in Sweden on August 1, as he looks to cement his senior spot.