Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel is set to get some game time against some big names
JJ Gabriel has learned when he could make his senior debut after Manchester United put the final touches to their pre-season plans.
After an exceptional season for the under-18s, which saw him score 21 goals in 23 games, the 15-year-old is set to be part of United’s pre-season tour of mainland Europe. As he was 14 when last season began, he was unable to play for the first team in the Premier League.
There are no restrictions now and he could conceivably become one of the youngest players in Premier League history next season. With the club keen to show there is a path to the first team and with many still stars recovering from the World Cup, Gabriel will be part of the pre-season tour that will now feature a prestigious friendly against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland on August 15.
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By then, United’s World Cup stars will have returned to the squad, with the Premier League season starting a week late. The Reds open their pre-season with a clash against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18 – the day before the World Cup final – before facing Rosenborg in Trondheim, Norway the following Friday.
They then play two fixtures in Sweden, meeting Atletico Madrid in the Snapdragon Cup in Stockholm on August 1 and facing European champions Paris St Germain in Gothenburg one week later.
United face Leeds in Dublin on August 12 and will complete their pre-season against Milan three days later. Gabriel is likely to figure in the early friendlies at least, and probably more if he impresses.
Michael Carrick had already seen enough last season, inviting him to train with the first team. 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.”
On United’s pre-season programme, director of football Jason Wilcox told the club’s website: “With fixtures now confirmed across five countries and six fantastic cities, these matches will provide strong preparation for the 2026-27 season and a valuable opportunity to connect with our incredible fans across Europe. Their support will be vital as we build momentum.”
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