United “absolutely buzzing” with insane wonderkid who club believe is the “next big thing” – Fabrizio Romano

Manchester United have always prided themselves on producing some unbelievable talents from their academy. The Red Devils have famously had an academy graduate in their first team squad since 30 October 1937, a record that has stood for over 88 years. From the Busby Babes to Fergie’s Class of ’92, the Premier League giants have always been home to some of the best talents in the world. United are also famous for promoting academy graduates to their first team setup, because at Old Trafford, if you are good enough, you are old enough. The Red Devils currently have the highly talented Kobbie Mainoo pulling the strings in midfield, while others like Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher have also been involved with the first team. Another academy star earning rave reviews for his performances for the youth sides is JJ Gabriel, who has already been hailed as the ‘kid Messi’. JJ Gabriel’s rise at United Gabriel spent time at various academies in London before joining United’s youth setup in 2022. The Englishman rose rapidly through the ranks at Old Trafford before earning his debut for the Under-18s last year as a 14 year old against Leeds United. In the process, the teenager became the youngest ever player to feature for the Red Devils’ Under-18 team. Gabriel marked his debut for the Under-18s with a brace, further signifying his immense potential. The 15 year old has registered 23 goals and three assists from 25 games for the youth sides this season. JJ Gabriel Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played U18 Premier League22213–1,700′ FA Youth Cup32-1-294′ Total252331-1,994′ Source: Transfermarkt. United fans are eager to see Gabriel in first team colours but he is unable to feature for the senior side due to age restrictions. With Arsenal’s Max Dowman making headlines after becoming the youngest goalscorer in the Premier League last weekend, the Red Devils also have high hopes for their attacking prodigy, as outlined by acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. United believe they have a gem in their hands Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano insisted that United believe Gabriel can be as good as Dowman. He said: “And then guys, the new gem of Manchester United. They are absolutely buzzing with JJ Gabriel. This boy, 15 years old, fantastic talent.” “I already mentioned him several times here on my channel as one of the best talents in Europe and probably in the world when we talk about these kids around the 14, 15, 16 years old. He’s going to turn 16 in October, but JJ Gabriel is seen by Manchester United people, at the club, as absolutely the next big thing.” “Obviously, no pressure, because there is still big way to do before saying, okay, JJ Gabriel is ready for the highest level, but in terms of talent, in terms of potential, Man Utd believe that as Arsenal have their gem in Max Dowman – congratulations again to Arsenal because how they develop talents, is fantastic and Max Dowman is incredible – but Man Utd believe as Arsenal have Max Dowman, they hope and they believe they can develop a similar talent in JJ Gabriel.” “They see JJ Gabriel as a top, top boy, top top talent, then let’s see. But this is the feeling at Man Utd, and they count on him as a big part of the future, guys.” Final Thoughts Gabriel has already trained with the first team this season, under both former head coach Ruben Amorim and current caretaker manager Michael Carrick. However, United must tread carefully given the intense scrutiny already on the teenager’s situation. The Red Devils must be ready to be patient with him and also protect and nurture him to ensure he realises his potential. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.