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Manchester United prodigy JJ Gabriel is poised to make his highly anticipated senior debut when the Red Devils face Rosenborg BK. Michael Carrick's team meets the Norwegian team in their second summer friendly match on Friday.
A comparable lineup is anticipated to feature from the one that was beaten 1-0 by Wrexham, though with some alterations. 15-year-old Gabriel participated in United's most recent training session on Monday at Carrington and is being considered for selection in the traveling party to Norway.
Following the Wrexham setback, the youngster posted on Instagram: "The longer you wait for something the more you appreciate it when you get it because anything worth having is worth waiting for," as per The Mirror.
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Gabriel has been integrated into United's development program since 2022 and has been progressing through the different levels. In 2025, he became the youngest player in club history to feature for the under-18 squad, while he has consistently been given chances to work alongside the senior team.
He also delivered an outstanding campaign last season, netting 26 times in 29 outings for United's youth side as they advanced to the FA Youth Cup final. Gabriel has not yet made his senior bow due to regulations regarding player ages, though he can secure a professional contract when he reaches 17 in October next year.
Discussing Gabriel last season, Carrick said: "He's not allowed [to make his debut], he's too young. He's doing really well, JJ.
"We've got some really good young players in the academy and we try and get the younger players up [with the first-team] as much as we can. We're always trying to give that exposure to the players to come and train and feel it."
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The United manager continued: "JJ is a big talent, it's pretty obvious to know that and he's had a really good season for the U18s.
"We obviously think an awful lot of him, but patience is important in managing everything that comes with that and working with him in development as we do with all the different younger players and picking the right moment to step up.
"What he's done when he's trained, he's done well as you'd expect and it's good to have the younger players come up with us."
Beyond Gabriel, United have bolstered their youth setup in recent days by finalizing a deal to bring in Tynan Thompson from Tottenham Hotspur for £4 million (just under $5.4 million) plus £4 million in add-ons.
