A young talent at Manchester United, known as ‘Kid Messi’, has been promoted to train with the club’s under-18 team. JJ Gabriel, who recently turned 14, is already training with players four years his senior.
The youngster has previously played with the under-16s and was invited to warm up with the under-18s ahead of their Premier League Cup final against Manchester City last season. It seems the club believes he is ready for the next stage in his development.
While there’s no rush to give Gabriel playing time at the next level, his impressive performances have led to his promotion. The teenager has already won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at an under-16s tournament in Hong Kong, scoring two goals and providing an assist in two matches.
Gabriel will likely train alongside United’s new addition, Chido Obi-Martin. The 16-year-old’s transfer was confirmed after he decided to leave Arsenal at the end of last season, rejecting an offer from the London club.
Compensation negotiations between United and Arsenal first had to be agreed upon and the Premier League needed to ratify the transfer. The 13-time Premier League champions beat off competition from Newcastle, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund for Obi-Martin’s signature, reports the Mirror.
The Denmark youth international made headlines by netting 10 goals in an under-16 clash where Arsenal trounced Liverpool 14-3 last November. He continued to dazzle at the Gunners’ under-18 level too with a remarkable record of 28 goals across just 10 matches from March to May earlier this year.
Upon sealing the deal, the ex-Arsenal young talent expressed his delight on social media: “Very happy to sign with this amazing club, time to focus and achieve all my dreams,” he wrote, posting pictures of him signing the contract and a childhood image of himself donned in a United jersey. “Thanks to everyone who has helped me get this far.”
Meanwhile, United’s under-18s have kicked off the season robustly, boasting five wins out of five games in the Premier League North, allowing only one goal against them. The team saw James Scanlon score four times in their recent 9-0 demolition of Blackburn, despite a setback in the Premier League Cup to Tottenham, as a late rally for a comeback with three successive goals still resulted in a narrow 4-3 loss.