Charlie Grace

Thu 2 October 2025 8:00, UK

Manchester United’s next youth sensation has been fast-tracked into the senior set-up at the astonishingly tender age of 14.

JJ Gabriel is training with Man United after Ruben Amorim became enamoured with the youngster during their US pre-season tour.

Ruben Amorim has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and may look to youngsters like Gabriel as a source of inspiration to spark United’s revival.

Amorim’s usage of academy graduates has raised questions, though, as the 40-year-old has seemingly pushed Kobbie Mainoo towards a move out of Man United.

Gabriel will join Man United’s first team training but is too young to play a bigger role at the club at current but if he continues his progression, the 14-year-old seems set to make his debut as soon as possible.

5. Mason Greenwood – 17 Years, 5 Months, 3 Days

Many Man United fans will remember their visit to the Parc De Princes in Paris on 6 March 2019 for the remarkable comeback that was sparked that night.

Two early Romelu Lukaku goals and a Marcus Rashford penalty at the death marked one of Man United’s finest nights under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and arguably their best showing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

That evening was also the night that Carrington academy graduate Mason Greenwood made his bow in a Manchester United shirt.

Greenwood would go on to score 35 goals in 129 games for Man United, and cirrently plays for Marseille in Ligue 1.

4. David Beckham – 17 Years, 4 Months, 21 Days

Scraping just inside the Premier League era cutoff, David Beckham made his Man United debut on 23 September 1992, in the League Cup against Brighton and Hive Albion.

Brighton were a Second Division (third tier) side at the time, but the Seagulls held Man United to a 1-1 draw on the night, forcing the Red Devils into a replay at Old Trafford.

Beckham came on as a substitute, replacing Andrey Kanchelskis, in the 72nd minute but couldn’t get Man United over the line on the night.

Beckham would go on to have a famed career winning six Premier League medals and 12 major honours in all at Man United before moving to Real Madrid, AC Milan, PSG and LA Galaxy, retiring in 2013.

3. Chido Obi – 17 Years, 2 Months, 18 Days

Unlike the other four players on this list Chido Obi didn’t progress through the younger age groups at Carrington, instead moving from Arsenal to Man United in 2024.

Obi scored 17 goals in 20 games for Man United’s under-18 and under-21 teams before being called up to the first team by Ruben Amorim.

The Danish-born striker made his Man United debut in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur in a game the Red Devils lost 1-0 on 16 February 2025.

When Obi was named in the starting 11 of Amorim’s side on 4 May 2025, he became the youngest player to ever start for Man United at 17 years and 156 days old.

2. Shola Shoretire – 17 Years, 19 Days

Shola Shoretire’s debut came in happier circumstances when Man United beat Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Shoretire replaced goalscorer Marcus Rashford in the 88th minute with Solskjaer giving the then 17-year-old his first ever taste of Premier League football.

Shoretire’s United career dwindled after that moment though, going out on loan to Bolton Wanderers in 2023, before moving permanently to PAOK in 2024, spending the 2025-26 season on loan at Dutch club PEC Zwolle.

1. Angel Gomes – 16 Years, 8 Months, 20 Days

The final match of the 2016-17 Premier League season saw a host of academy graduates make appearances for Man United against Crystal Palace.

One of the most notable was 16-year-old Angel Gomes, who came on for Wayne Rooney in the 88th minute of United’s 2-0 win.

Gomes played as an attacking midfielder but has moved deeper in midfield throughout his career, now operating as a number six.

After leaving Man United in 2020, Gomes played for Lille and Boavista, before moving to Marseille in the summer of 2025.

Gomes came through Man United’s academy with a lot of prestige, and would have been a great cure to Amorim’s current problems, but the English international understandably left Old Trafford in search of first team football elsewhere.