Man Utd are getting ready to bring in a teenage star to take over from JJ Gabriel as their top academy player.
Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Lens’ talented young player Mezian Mesloub, especially as doubts grow about JJ Gabriel’s future at Old Trafford.
Gabriel, 15, recently told United he wants to leave and plans to ask the club to cancel his registration. He’s unhappy with how his development is going and the limited chances he’s had with the first team—although he was set to start in United’s Carabao Cup match against Brighton on Wednesday. Big clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich are all keen on him. Still, United are working to strengthen their academy, whether Gabriel stays or not.
According to TEAMtalk, United have scouted Lens midfielder Mesloub, who made his Ligue 1 debut at just 16 years old. He’s played for Portugal’s U15 and U17 teams but can also represent France, where he was born, or Algeria through his father, Walid Mesloub, a former Lorient and Le Havre midfielder.
Mesloub scored the winning goal in his senior debut for Lens in May during a 1-0 win over Nantes and has appeared two more times in the league this season. He also made his Champions League debut recently in Lens’ exciting 3-2 win against Slavia Prague.
TEAMtalk says Mesloub is known for his creativity, skill, and calmness in attack and often plays as an “inverted winger.” United have done a lot of scouting on the 16-year-old but face tough competition from Arsenal, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, due to Brexit rules, he wouldn’t be able to join an English club until he’s 18, so a Premier League move couldn’t happen until January 2028.
Meanwhile, Gabriel’s future is still unclear. England hasn’t called him up to any youth national teams for upcoming matches because of the ongoing situation at Manchester United. Journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Gabriel’s agents have spoken with several European clubs, with Spain being “more than likely” as his next destination. But direct talks between Gabriel and clubs haven’t happened yet, as nothing is confirmed.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who grew up in Liverpool’s academy, has warned Gabriel about leaving United too soon. Speaking on TNT Sports, Gerrard said:
“It worries me when kids get rushed and pressured in football careers. I don’t know all the details here, but United is one of the biggest clubs with a great history of developing young players. When they think he’s ready, they will give him a chance to play.
“Across the sport, young players have families, agents, and other influences pushing them, and that can hurt their progress. Even if Gabriel goes to Real Madrid, their manager won’t play him right away. Elite managers only play kids when they’re ready to contribute.
“In my view, the most important thing is to look after the kid’s well-being. Manchester United has a good track record with that. From the outside, it feels like someone is pushing him too fast, and that won’t help him in the long run.”