JJ Gabriel has been given a clearer picture of when he could make his senior debut after Manchester United finalised their pre-season schedule. Following a superb campaign with the under-18s, in which he netted 21 goals in 23 appearances, the 15-year-old is set to feature in United’s pre-season tour of mainland Europe.
Having been just 14 at the start of last season, he was ineligible to represent the first team in the Premier League. As those restrictions no longer apply, he could become one of the youngest players ever to feature in the Premier League next season.
With the club eager to demonstrate a pathway to the first team, and with numerous stars still recovering from the World Cup, Gabriel will be part of the pre-season tour, which will now include a high-profile friendly against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland on August 15.
By that stage, United’s World Cup contingent will have rejoined the squad, with the Premier League season kicking off a week later. The Red Devils begin their preparations with a fixture against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18 – the day before the World Cup final – before taking on Rosenborg in Trondheim, Norway the following Friday.
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They will then contest two matches in Sweden, taking on Atletico Madrid in the Snapdragon Cup in Stockholm on August 1, before facing European champions Paris St Germain in Gothenburg seven days later.
United meet Leeds in Dublin on August 12 and will round off their pre-season against Milan three days afterwards. Gabriel is expected to feature in the early friendlies at a minimum, and potentially more if he makes a strong impression.
Michael Carrick had already seen enough last season, inviting him to train alongside 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.
View 3 ImagesGabriel trained with the first team last season(Image: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
“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.
View 3 ImagesGabriel has impressed Michael Carrick(Image: Getty Images)
“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.”
Regarding United’s pre-season schedule, director of football Jason Wilcox told the club’s official 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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