Manchester United have Academy star who’s ‘already better’ than Premier League players and wowed Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United currently have their hands on a young talent who some believe is already better than some Premier League players after wowing Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester United’s current Academy set up is the brightest spark in what has been a dim 18 months at the club.

While the last campaign saw Erik ten Hag’s first team saved from a dismal season through an FA Cup win, the Dutchman was fired from his post in October, and Rúben Amorim has since failed to inspire results and confidence in the squad.

However, the club’s Academy teams have been fantastic, with the current crop of U18s players impressing particularly, recently defeating Arsenal U18s at the Emirates Stadium during a fantastic 3-2 victory in the FA Youth Cup.

The club have signed several young stars such as Chido Obi and Sekou Kone of late, and many more, like Gabriele Biancheri and Jaydan Kamason, are starting to turn heads after rising through the club’s ranks in the last few seasons.

United have a future Premier League star

Although plenty of teenage players came off the back of the impressive win over Arsenal, another talking point of particular importance was that youngster JJ Gabriel was with the squad for the warm-up.

Gabriel, full name Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel, has been making waves across European football for his talents at just the age of 14, and his current specialist one-to-one coach Alfie Brooks feels he is a youngster who already has technical qualities superior to Premier League players.

“He was very raw from a young age, but he was very competitive,” Brooks told the Daily Mail. “When he first started training, those were the standout attributes.

“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 in to a Premier League changing room right now and technically he would be better than all of them. It wouldn’t even be close.

“He’s by far the best player that I’ve ever seen come through. He’s got the potential to be one of the best players this country has ever produced.”

How Gabriel wowed Cristiano Ronaldo

Brooks isn’t the only person who has been left impressed by Gabriel’s talents. The 14-year-old initially joined United alongside Cristiano Ronaldo’s son, Cristiano Jr, and formed a close bond with the United legend’s eldest.

According to the report from the Daily Mail, Ronaldo himself took a particular liking to Gabriel as his son and the England U15 international grew closer, and he was impressed by the player’s talent.

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Gabriel has been likened to Ronaldo often, as well as to the legend’s former La Liga rival Neymar Jr, with a source telling the Daily Mail: “He’s going to end up like Ronaldo. Just goals, goals, goals.”

However, with the player holding an Irish passport, he could be able to depart United and play in the European Union from the age of 16, while many Premier League sides are waiting in the sidelines to sign him should he choose to leave the club.

United will have to do a lot to help convince the outstanding young talent that Old Trafford is the place where his true future can be realised.

“United is a big club, a huge club, and it fits JJ’s profile and JJ fits United’s profile, he’s something they haven’t got at all,” a rival academy scout explained to Mail Sport.

“But United have to be careful they don’t get things wrong with him, too. They know they are in a fight to keep him.”

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