Manchester United's "Little Messi" aims for triple crown, club still fears poaching by Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern! Major risk next year

At Manchester United, which focuses on youth training, the most highly regarded prospect is not Kobbie Mainoo, who is nearing a contract extension, but the 15-year-old Gabriel (JJ Gabriel), who is not yet eligible for the Premier League. This season, Gabriel has made 31 appearances for the under-18 squad, scoring 25 goals. Most notably, he possesses not only talent but also mental toughness; he once dislocated his shoulder in a game but still managed to score a hat-trick.

Gabriel's tenacious fighting spirit on the pitch was fully demonstrated in a cup match last season. After a fierce collision with a Blackburn defender that dislocated his shoulder, the medical staff reset it, and the young United star insisted on continuing to play, miraculously completing a hat-trick!

There is another example. Early this season, in a match between Manchester United and Middlesbrough, the 14-year-old Gabriel was tackled from behind by Middlesbrough's tall defender Ike Gyvenson, with a loud sound echoing across the field. However, Gabriel immediately turned back to ask for the ball after the free kick was taken, showing no fear.

This season, Gabriel has been knocked down multiple times by players much larger than him, but each time he quickly gets back up and continues to threaten the opponent's defense.

Manchester United's U18 coach Darren Fletcher appreciates this attitude, which aligns with the spirit he displayed during his playing days. Fletcher loudly praised from the sidelines: "Yes, JJ, just like that, well done, lad!"

Ultimately, Gabriel scored twice, helping Manchester United defeat Middlesbrough 5-0. Since then, his scoring momentum has not stopped. Last Saturday, Manchester United U18 beat Leeds United's youth team 2-0, with him also scoring a goal, placing him top of the Premier League U18 scoring chart, ahead of many older opponents.

In the Premier League U18 standings, Manchester United is second in the Northern division, tied with Manchester City but having played one more game, still having a chance to compete for the title. However, fans and the club might pay more attention to another match at Old Trafford this Friday: the semi-final of the England Youth FA Cup against Crystal Palace.

Interestingly, five days later, Manchester United U18 will also visit Selhurst Park for the Premier League U18 Cup final. Gabriel certainly hopes to pursue a "triple crown," which, while not comparable to the 1999 first-team treble, would still be a significant achievement.

Gabriel is still very young; he only turned 15 last October, so he is not yet eligible to be included in Manchester United's official U18 player database. However, this does not hinder him from polishing his star path, something that both delights and worries Manchester United.

Gabriel can play as a striker, winger, or number 10. This season, he has frequently joined Manchester United's first team for training sessions and received praise from senior players. Cameroon winger Mbeumo praised him last month: "He is not only strong but also mentally strong. You might think he's still a kid, but he often trains with us, and you can sense his special qualities."

Gabriel's performances have already attracted other top clubs. Last summer, Manchester United went to great lengths to retain him. According to regulations, players under 14 can deregister from their original club by sending written notice after the season ends and freely transfer to other teams.

Manchester City invited Gabriel at that time and once had a chance to acquire him. However, Manchester United's sports director Jason Wilcox persuaded him, convincing the player and his family that staying at United would be most beneficial for his future development. Of course, the club also promised substantive commitments like involving him in first-team training, similar to Arsenal's approach with Domann.

Besides training with the first team, Gabriel has also appeared multiple times as a guest in the Old Trafford box on match days. During the match against Everton last November, he sat just a few rows behind Sir Alex Ferguson, and they even took a photo together.

Although Gabriel renewed his contract for two years, Manchester United remains cautious. This season, because he did not reach 15 years old before August 31 last year, he cannot participate in Premier League or Premier League 2 matches. This summer, United will consider calling up this English player nicknamed "Little Messi" for preseason matches.

Gabriel holds an Irish passport due to his parents, making his departure risk higher. According to rules, EU players can play for European clubs starting at age 16, while other English players can only transfer after turning 18. The UK's Daily Telegraph reports that top clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich are closely monitoring Gabriel's future choices.

Young players are not allowed to have agents before September 1 of the year they turn 16, so currently Gabriel's development decisions are mainly handled by his father, Joe Osei-Ruell. The latter was an Irish international, once played for Arsenal, but spent most of his career as a non-professional player. He changed the family surname to Gabriel, both to express religious faith and to enhance his son's market value.

Gabriel now has 465,000 followers on social media. He has also signed with Nike, becoming one of the brand's reserved future stars. This summer, larger agency firms might sign Gabriel, and they might consider arranging a transfer for him to secure signing fees. All these are things Manchester United needs to guard against. Gabriel does not have a "dream of playing for United since childhood"; in the video that first made him famous, this young talent wore a Barcelona jersey.