Barcelona interested in 15-year-old Manchester United academy starlet – Report | OneFootball

Several youngsters from La Masia have made their way to the FC Barcelona first team in the last few years, highlighting, once again, the good work being done at the academy in regards to youth talent development.

However, despite the plethora of talent available in the academy, the Catalan club still sometimes has to look at the market to replenish its academy ranks, and in this regard, SPORT reports that one of the young players who has caught the attention of the Blaugranes is the promising talent from Manchester United academy, JJ Gabriel.

Only 15 years old, Gabriel has been one of the most exciting performers in the Red Devils U-18 side. He has scored ten goals in ten matches and has already taken part in first-team training sessions under Ruben Amorim, the most recent of which came last Thursday.

Photo Credit: Man Utd

Last week, he produced one of his most impressive performances to date when he scored a hat trick against Liverpool in the U18 Premier League at the AXA Training Centre. His goals guided Manchester United to a seven-goal victory and further strengthened the attention surrounding his development.

Ruben Amorim has already spoken publicly about the young forward. After JJ Gabriel trained with the senior side in October, the Manchester United manager praised both his talent and his attitude.

He noted that exposing academy players to the speed and intensity of first-team work helps them understand what is required at the highest level and that the experience is valuable not only for Gabriel but for the rest of the club’s young players as well.

Manchester United recently shared images of the youngster training with the first team, and his increasing presence around the senior group has led some to believe that an early debut could arrive sooner rather than later.

Gabriel has been with the English club since the age of ten, and his progress has been closely watched. It now remains to be seen whether Barcelona will take the next step and make a formal move. For the moment, the Blaugrana are evaluating their options while the young forward continues to shine in England.