Rashford's Junior Brother Emerges! Manchester United's 14-Year-Old Prodigy Aiming to Break 'Little Messi' Record, Hat-Trick Attracts Fletcher

Gabriel (JJ Gabriel), Manchester United's 15-year-old talent, is viewed as poised for a first-team debut next season, potentially breaking the club's record for youngest appearance. This weekend, the English youngster shone again, netting two spectacular strikes in the U18 side's 5-2 win against Nottingham Forest.

Gabriel first dribbled left and right near the penalty area, bypassing several Nottingham Forest players, then unleashed a dipping shot with his right foot that flew into the net. Just four minutes later, the forward dubbed 'Little Messi' scored again with another long-range effort, completing a brace.

In the Premier League U18 scoring charts, Gabriel has 18 goals, surpassing Manchester City's Lam and Liverpool's Lambie (16 goals), ranking first. The stellar performances of Manchester United's young talent also keep the team close to Manchester City in the Premier League U18 Northern Division standings; currently, the Red Devils' youngsters trail their city rivals by two points with one extra game played, still having a chance to overtake them.

Gabriel is regarded as the most promising 'crown prince' in Manchester United's academy, yet his record as the youngest appearance in the U18 team is already under challenge! A new 14-year-old star is rising in Manchester United's youth setup. Jaice Dore, a winger, has excelled this season in U15 and U16 teams and is expected to debut for the U18 side this year. If achieved, Dore would break Gabriel's record, becoming the youngest player to appear for Manchester United's U18 team.

This Thursday evening, Dore scored a hat-trick in Manchester United U15's match against Stoke City, helping the Red Devils advance to the quarter-finals of the 'Lightbulb Shield' competition, where they will face Sunderland's youth team. Academy observers are already reminding Manchester United fans to remember this new name.

In 2020, 8-year-old Dore joined Manchester United from Fletcher Moss Rangers. This Manchester-based youth football club is where Rashford also began his journey. Now, Manchester United's U18 head coach Darren Fletcher is closely monitoring his development.

Last month, at the Snow Bowl 2026 Flag Football Championship in Florida, USA, Dore was named tournament MVP, scoring 5 goals in 3 matches and winning the Golden Boot. Among these, he scored a hat-trick against Dortmund and also netted the winning goal against Chicago Fire, helping Manchester United reach the final. In last year's Northern Ireland Super Cup, he also stood out; Beckham and other members of Manchester United's 'Class of '92' had previously participated in its predecessor, the Milk Cup.

Like Gabriel, Dore has been signed by Nike early. Additionally, he has been selected for England's U15 national youth team. Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe highly values youth development; this week, British media confirmed that Manchester United has recruited Darren Hughes from Manchester City to serve as Head of Academy Development and Research.

Hughes worked at Manchester City for 12 years, holding various roles, most recently as Coaching Lead. Previously, he oversaw player development in the Under-11, Under-16, and Under-18 categories, aiding the growth of players like Cole Palmer, Oscar Bobb, and Nico O'Reilly.

Hughes also spent seven years at Liverpool's academy, where he contributed to developing players such as Curtis Jones and Jarrell Quansah. Hughes was appointed by Manchester United's new Academy Director, Stephen Topy, who also previously worked at Manchester City and Liverpool.

However, due to non-compete clauses, Hughes can only begin work at Carrington six months later. His arrival will further strengthen the Manchester City contingent within Manchester United's management; CEO Omar Berrada and Football Director Jason Wilcox also hail from the Etihad. Sir Jim clearly admires Manchester City's success and aims to 'copy the blueprint'.