Joe Cole is worried about JJ Gabriel’s surprising choice, while Steven Gerrard has a strong warning for the Man Utd player who wants to leave.
Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard have shared their worries about 15-year-old JJ Gabriel after he asked Manchester United to end his registration earlier this week. Gabriel, who’s nicknamed ‘Kid Messi,’ told the club he wants to leave. Reports say his representatives feel disappointed, thinking promises about a clear path to the first team haven’t been kept.
Since then, Gabriel has traveled to Barcelona, where talks with the Spanish club are happening, and Real Madrid is also interested. Under Premier League rules, the teenager can’t sign a professional contract until he turns 17 on October 6, 2027. He must wait until the same date this year to sign a scholarship.
It’s rare for a 15-year-old academy player to attract this kind of attention. On Saturday (September 19), former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole spoke about his worries over the unusual situation.
In a live chat with Gerrard on TNT Sports, Cole said, “The fact he’s changed his name for branding reasons is just one part. He and many other boys have missed school because of football. You have to be a kid first and a footballer second. This whole situation has left people at Manchester United feeling uneasy.”
Even though he’s known as JJ Gabriel, his real name is Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel.
Cole continued, “They want to help this kid, and from what I’ve seen, he’s super talented. I remember the buzz before my debut. Usually, when a young player debuts, the crowd cheers because it’s one of their own. But when JJ Gabriel makes his debut, no matter where, there’s going to be a lot of pressure on him.”
Gerrard also shared his concerns, saying it “scares” him when young players are rushed into big decisions. The former Liverpool captain explained, “This isn’t just about JJ Gabriel. It worries me that kids can be hurried, and their careers can be forced. I don’t know all the details here, but United is one of the biggest clubs with a great history of bringing through amazing players.”
He added, “There are great people at Manchester United, including English coach Michael Carrick and assistant Steve Holland. They’ll protect JJ and only play him when he’s truly ready. But outside pressure from parents, agents, and others can push kids too soon, which can hurt their careers.”
Gerrard said the extra attention might add pressure and that clubs thinking about signing him might worry about the noise around it now. “Take Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, for example. Even if JJ went there, Mourinho won’t play him unless he’s ready. Top managers only play kids when they can help the team.”
“In my view, the kid’s health and care come first, and Manchester United can provide that. I don’t see any need to rush. I don’t know what’s been promised behind the scenes, but from outside, it feels like someone is pushing too hard, which won’t help JJ at all.”
“As a rival of Manchester United, I still respect the club and coaches like Michael Carrick. If JJ was ready, he’d be playing.”
Meanwhile, United are said to have rejected Gabriel’s request to cancel his registration. Both the club, the player, and his parent or carer must agree to cancel it. If they don’t, anyone involved can ask the Premier League to make a final decision.
If United keep his registration, Gabriel can’t sign for another English club before the season ends. But he could get around these rules by getting an EU or Irish passport, letting him sign for a European club like Barcelona or Real Madrid.