Manchester United have a history of nurturing young talent. Whilst not all live up to the hype, many do. For every Federico Macheda who didn\u2019t quite make it, you have a Gary Neville, who captained the side to multiple titles and has become a club legend.<\/p>\n
One such player making a huge splash amongst fans and the club alike is 15-year-old JJ Gabriel. A goal machine already, the attacker is exciting, dynamic and is expected to make the first team sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s look at JJ Gabriel and what makes him such an exciting prospect.<\/p>\n
JJ Gabriel operates in any and all attacking positions. As either a left winger, attacking midfielder or centre forward, Gabriel has been electric in every position he\u2019s been deployed in for the Manchester United under-18s. With a background in futsal, Gabriel\u2019s technique on the ball is rivalled by very few at his age.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s shone in one-on-one situations, is full of flair and backs himself when taking on a defender. The youngster has been efficient when he can isolate a defender, something that could become vital when he takes the step up to the first team. He occupies multiple opposition players due to his ability to retain possession, which opens space for teammates to prosper in, a desirable trait for any team.<\/p>\n
Dubbed \u2018Kid Messi\u2019 online, Gabriel\u2019s stats show just how talented he is and why he\u2019s destined for a first team opportunity soon.<\/p>\n
After being in and around academies such as Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham, JJ Gabriel made the choice to begin his career at Manchester United.<\/p>\n
He made his under-18s debut at just 14 years old. In his first six games for the under-18s, Gabriel notched seven goals and one assist. This included a brace, a hat-trick and a goal against United\u2019s city rivals in a 4-2 loss.<\/p>\n
Read More: <\/strong>Wonderkids You Haven\u2019t Heard of Yet: Shea Lacey (Manchester United)<\/a><\/p>\n Following this blistering start, he\u2019s recorded a further seven goals and an assist, including a hat-trick against Liverpool in a 7-0 win, another goal against Manchester City and a brace against Wolves. These are just Gabriel\u2019s league stats; his FA Youth Cup stats are as impressive. In three games, Gabriel has found the back of the net twice and was influential in United\u2019s 4-1 victory over Oxford\u2019s under-18s.<\/p>\n With 16 goals in 21 appearances during his youth career, he’s a prospect that could be hard to keep hold of for United.<\/p>\n