‘Kicked all over the place’ - Man Utd get JJ Gabriel management advice as former Red Devils star admits ‘Kid Messi’ may not make senior debut in 2026-27

That was considered to be the case last season, with Gabriel’s exploits at youth level generating plenty of interest. Premier League rules prevented him from gracing top-flight competition in England, but he could have figured in domestic cup action.

Unfortunately for him, United fell at the first hurdle in their Carabao Cup and FA Cup quests - limiting opportunities for another product of the fabled academy system at Old Trafford to enjoy a memorable breakthrough.

There is still plenty of time for him to follow in the footsteps of Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Marcus Rashford and earn a professional contract at the so-called ‘Theatre of Dreams’. Michael Carrick will not be rushing that development process.

He is aware of the noise surrounding Gabriel - leading to him figuring in a friendly date with Atletico Madrid - but knows that fast tracking a senior bow could end up doing more harm than good. While precociously talented, the Enfield native is still growing and learning.

Pressure is already being lumped onto his shoulders, as he is billed as another home-grown superstar in the making, but there are no guarantees when it comes to taking the next important step in a promising career.

Sharpe admits as much, with the Premier League title-winning former United winger - speaking in association with NetBet - telling GOAL when asked about Gabriel and whether the ‘Kid Messi’ tag is doing him few favours: “I suppose it's par for the course when he's been as good as he has been at such a young age on so many different levels. I think he's played for under-18s, 19s, I think he might have even played for under-21s at United as a 14, 15-year-old, so it shows how good he is.

“But generally, as a player, if you can ignore a bit of the press, which is even harder to do these days than when we played, I think the main pressure that is on you is what you put on yourself. I think most players will tell you that no-one ever put any more pressure on them than themselves and wanting to go out there and be the best you can and be the best you can every week, every training session, every game.

“So I think he's got a good team of staff behind him, Michael Carrick and the lads he's got behind him. I think he's got some really good senior pros that will help him in the coming situations.

“It's just about managing him right and getting the timing right. You don't want to kill the lad's confidence, you don't want him to get kicked all over the place and get injured early. It is about managing his time right.

“I think we might see him come on maybe 10 minutes of a game at points this season, but if not, I mean he's only 15, maybe not, maybe next season.”

United head coach Carrick has previously said of Gabriel and collective efforts to unlock full potential: “He's doing really well, JJ. We're always trying to give that exposure to players, for them to come and train and feel it.

“JJ is a big talent. It's pretty obvious to know that and he's had a really good season for the under-18s. We obviously think an awful lot of him. But patience is important in managing everything that comes with that.

“It is about picking the right moment to step up, picking the moment to leave them in a certain place. What he's done when he's trained he's done well, as you'd expect.”

United have two more friendly dates to take in this summer - against Leeds and AC Milan - before opening their 2026-27 Premier League campaign away at newly-promoted Hull City on August 22.

The Red Devils will not enter the Carabao Cup until the third round, having secured a return to Champions League competition, meaning that Gabriel may have to be patient in his pursuit of game time that could see the history books rewritten.