Amorim pays close attention to Manchester United’s new “Messi,” inviting him to watch the match from the VIP box at Old Trafford! Still, he will not feature for the first team this season.

At just 14 years old, Manchester United academy prospect JJ Gabriel will definitely not appear for the senior squad this season, as English football rules require players to be 15 before August 31 to participate. Known as “Kid Messi,” Gabriel will only turn 15 in October. He was born on October 6, 2010, according to official records.

However, even if he were eligible, it would not make developmental sense for Gabriel to play in the Premier League at this stage. Physically, he is still quite slight, and playing just to set records would be meaningless and could negatively impact his future mindset and growth.

Manchester United has assigned Gabriel the highest fixed squad number in club history—number 95. The previous record was number 87, worn by defender Goodwill Kukonki. This means Gabriel can train with the first team and play in Under-21 matches.

According to the Daily Mail, United plans for Gabriel to play for the Under-18s, coached by club legend Darren Fletcher. If necessary, Gabriel may also feature for the U21s, which serves as a bridge between youth and senior football, competing in Premier League 2, where first-team players occasionally join.

Gabriel is widely seen as the most promising prospect in United’s youth ranks. Top European clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich have all expressed interest in signing him, as his contract was originally set to expire this summer.

United’s sporting director Jason Wilcox intervened, convincing Gabriel’s family to agree to a two-year contract extension. The club has undoubtedly made future commitments to him. During Sunday’s Premier League opener against Arsenal, Gabriel was invited to watch from the executive box at Old Trafford, where Italy’s current head coach Gattuso was also present.

Joining Gabriel was another academy player, 16-year-old defender Jayden Ngwashi, who is also highly regarded by the youth coaches, though not to the same extent as Gabriel.

The Daily Mail reports that recruitment director Christopher Vivell took time during the match to speak with both young players and their families. The paper also revealed that Gabriel’s impressive U18 performances have drawn significant interest from Amorim.

British media report that during United’s first-team preseason tour in the United States, Amorim asked the entire coaching staff to watch footage of Gabriel’s games to keep up with his progress.

Gabriel featured in the U18s’ season opener against Everton, with Wayne Rooney’s eldest son, Kai, also named in the squad. United secured a 1-0 away win thanks to a 24th-minute penalty from captain Amir Ibragimov, giving Fletcher a victorious start to his U18 Premier League coaching career.

It was Gabriel, wearing number 11, who won the decisive penalty for United after being fouled from behind while attacking down the left wing. Fifteen-year-old Rooney came off the bench after 70 minutes to make his U18 debut, hitting the post with a powerful shot but narrowly missing his first goal.