Steven Gerrard warns JJ Gabriel: leaving Manchester United may not bring first-team football

Steven Gerrard believes Manchester United remains the best place for 15-year-old JJ Gabriel and says manager Michael Carrick would select the teenager if he was ready to play for the first team.

Gabriel stunned Manchester United this week by asking to leave the club. He has since travelled to Spain for talks with Barcelona, while Real Madrid are also reportedly attempting to beat their La Liga rivals to his signature, according to Metro.

The highly rated youngster’s representatives are understood to have been pushing for him to be promoted to United’s senior squad and were unhappy that Carrick had not done so.

Gabriel has not yet played for United’s first team, although he had been expected to be included in Carrick’s squad for the Carabao Cup match against Brighton before informing the club of his desire to depart.

Gerrard warns against a move to Madrid

Former Liverpool captain Gerrard said a transfer to Real Madrid could create similar difficulties for Gabriel in terms of securing regular first-team football.

“It is not just about this particular case. In the game generally, I worry about young players being rushed through their development or being forced to build a career too quickly,” he told TNT Sports.

Gerrard said Gabriel was at one of the world’s biggest clubs, with a strong tradition of developing young talent.

“JJ Gabriel is an individual case and I do not know the details, but if you look at the bigger picture, he is playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. They have a great history and strong traditions of producing outstanding players,” he said.

“There will be senior people behind the scenes at Manchester United, but the key thing for me is that he has an English manager, Michael Carrick, and an English assistant manager, Steve Holland, who will want to protect him. When they believe the time is right and that he is ready, they will play him.”

Gerrard also suggested that outside influences could be encouraging Gabriel to move too soon.

“It is not only this situation; across the game, young talents have parents, agents and outside influences pushing them to make decisions far too early. That can affect a child’s career,” he said.

“It would create huge pressure. If you were another club looking at this situation, you would ask yourself: yes, this boy is a huge talent, but do you want to take on the burden and noise surrounding him?”

‘Mourinho would make him wait’

Gerrard questioned whether Jose Mourinho would immediately select Gabriel if he joined Real Madrid.

“Even if Gabriel moved to Real Madrid now, would Mourinho play him straight away, or would he work to motivate him and push him forward?” he said.

“Top managers do not play young players until they are ready to contribute to the team. In my view, they must care for the child’s health and welfare, and Manchester United can provide that. They have a history of doing so.”

“I do not know what he has been told or promised privately, but from my perspective it appears that someone is putting pressure on him and rushing the process. I do not think that will benefit this child in any way.”

Gerrard added: “I am a strong rival of Manchester United, but I have watched them from a distance. They have top-class coaches and people. I know Michael Carrick well, and if this boy was ready, he would have been given an opportunity to play.”