Manchester United’s 14-year-old wonderkid JJ Gabriel has committed his future to the Red Devils following a crucial intervention from club chiefs.
Mail Sports understands that Red Devils’ director of football Jason Wilcox and director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves stepped in in the last week to persuade the teenager – dubbed ‘Kid Messi’ – to remain in the north west.
In March, it was revealed that several of United’s rivals were ‘desperate’ to get Gabriel, who, in holding an Irish passport, was allowed to play in the European Union from the age of 16 when otherwise he would have to wait until 18.
Gabriel, full name Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel, grew up in London and had spells at Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham.
He honed his technique in futsal as much as in football.
There is considerable hype surrounding the youngster, who Alfie Brooks, owner of Ole Futsal and Gabriel’s specialist one-to-one coach, claims is already capable of stepping into a Premier League dressing room.
Manchester United ‘s 14-year-old wonderkid JJ Gabriel has committed his future to the Red Devils following a crucial intervention from club chiefs
Several of United’s rivals were ‘desperate’ to get Gabriel, who, in holding an Irish passport, was allowed to play in the European Union from the age of 16
When Cristiano Ronaldo Jr was part of the United academy, he struck up a very close friendship with Gabriel
‘When he first started training, [his competitiveness] was the standout attribute,’ Brooks told Mail Sport’s Nathan Salt.
‘I’ve coached nearly 1,000 academy players over my time – four of them in Josh Nichols (Arsenal), Josh Acheampong (Chelsea), Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) and Tyrique George (Chelsea) have made their senior debuts – and JJ is the best I’ve ever seen.
‘He could go into a Premier League changing room right now and technically he would be better than all of them. It wouldn’t even be close.’
At the age of six, he spent a week focusing on his keepy-ups. By the end of that week he could do 1,000 in a row, and was fast becoming the best player in matches against players years older than him.
At nine, Gabriel went viral with a YouTube video he appeared in under the moniker ‘Kid Messi’, a nickname the youngster is keen to shed, and now at 14 he is being called into the Under 18s as United press the accelerator on his development.
It is Cristiano Ronaldo or Neymar who many talent-spotters believe he could one day mirror, more so than Messi.
When Cristiano Ronaldo Jr was part of the United academy, he struck up a very close friendship with Gabriel.
Presented together at Old Trafford with the No 7 (Ronaldo) and No 10 (Gabriel) shirts, they grew close and would often spend time together away from the pitch at Ronaldo Sr’s seven-bedroom mansion.
The Portugal and United icon took a shine to young Gabriel, giving him a signed shirt as a parting gift before he left Manchester for Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo took a shine to young Gabriel, giving him a signed shirt as a parting gift before he left Manchester for Saudi Arabia
Dan Ashworth, who was axed as sporting director by Sir Jim Ratcliffe last season, was an admirer of Gabriel while one team-mate in the Under 18s spoke of being ‘blown away’ by seeing the 14-year-old in their training sessions.
Gabriel’s career to date has been managed to the letter by his family with superstardom in mind. His dad, former Republic of Ireland international Joe O’Cearuill, changed the family’s surname to Gabriel in a nod to their religious beliefs as well as making the United starlet more brandable.
The decision was also taken to home-school Gabriel to maximise his prospects in football, while he follows a very strict diet to enhance performance. He is, to all intents and purposes, already operating as a top professional, and made his England Under 15 debut in February.
