Paul Merson claims Arsenal star could be factor in JJ Gabriel exit decision at Man Utd | Football

Paul Merson believes Max Dowman’s extraordinary breakthrough at Arsenal could have been a factor in JJ Gabriel’s desire to seek a shock move away from Manchester United.

There was huge disappointment at Old Trafford on Tuesday as reports began to circulate that Gabriel, 15, had asked for his registration with the Red Devils to be cancelled with immediate effect.

Gabriel has been with United since the age of 11 and is widely regarded to be among the most exciting young talents in English football having been fast-tracked through the academy ranks.

The teenager first began training with United’s first-team when Ruben Amorim was at the helm and was named the Under 18 Premier League Player of the Season last term.

But it appears Gabriel is set to move on without making a senior appearance for his boyhood team, even though Michael Carrick had reportedly been planning to select the forward in his squad to face Brighton this evening.

According to The Sun, Carrick’s decision to field both Shea Lacey and Harry Amass in United’s Champions League win over Sabah last week proved to be the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ for Gabriel’s camp.

Chelsea have been credited with a strong interest in Gabriel in recent days, while La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are also believed to be closely monitoring developments.

‘First of all, he’s an unbelievable talent. This kid, he can play as well,’ ex-Arsenal, Aston Villa and England midfielder Merson said of Gabriel on Sky Sports News.

‘The problem is now with the lad and probably his agents and his family… I don’t know him so I’m thinking from the outside… when you’re watching Max Dowman and he’s getting given a chance and you’re watching Rio Ngumoha at Liverpool get given a chance and doing very well, he’s probably thinking: I should be playing at Manchester United now as well.

‘This is the problem you’re going to have with the kids now in this day and age: they’re so talented that they want to play straightaway. When I was playing it was unheard of at 16 years of age, absolutely unheard of.

‘But you’re watching players like Dowman and Rio and he’s probably thinking, “I should be playing”, and he’s come out with the statement, his agent, saying that he doesn’t want to renew his registration so it’ll be interesting.’

According to Merson, Europe’s elite clubs will be falling over themselves to capture the England Under-17 international.

‘It’s a massive, massive blow for Manchester United,’ he added.

‘Believe me, this kid is an unbelievable talent and he’ll have every club in the world wanting him, every single club.

‘There won’t be a club that doesn’t want him.’

Just hours after the rumours surrounding Gabriel’s future began doing the rounds, another of English football’s bright young things gave fans a timely reminder of his incredible talent.

That was of course Arsenal wonderkid Dowman, who lit up Portman Road with an stunning brace as the Gunners swept Ipswich aside to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

‘He’s going past players like they’re not there as if he’s playing in his own age group,’ Merson said of Dowman’s phenomenal performance.

‘This goal, the way he throws the dummy and leaves the guy on his backside and scores… it’s just unbelievable.

‘You’ve just got to be patient with him. He’s at an unbelievable Rolls-Royce of a football club, he’s an unbelievable talent, he’s got 15 years at least at the top, but you’ve just got to be patient.

‘It’s hard because he’ll feel that he should be playing in the team now but what a talent.

‘It’s unbelievable what Arsenal have done and I think every coach at Arsenal, everybody involved at Arsenal, should be very proud of what they’ve produced. Absolutely unbelievable, I cannot talk highly enough about him.’

Asked if Dowman deserved to get more minutes under Mikel Arteta, Merson replied: ‘You’ve got to look after him.

‘He is quite a big lad, he’s not a small lad, so I wouldn’t worry about him getting bullied and kicked all over the place in the Premier League.

‘There’s VAR and that just doesn’t happen anymore in this day and age so it’s just just sorting his minutes out.

‘I was disappointed in the Community Shield. When Arsenal were 3-0 up I was thinking, “Come on, let’s put Max Dowman on now, let’s watch him now against the creme de la creme”, and they didn’t put him on, and I just found that a bit strange.

‘But he’ll be playing in the cup games and hopefully it keeps on continuing because these players come along once in a blue moon, with your Gazzas [Paul Gascoigne], your [Wayne] Rooneys, and now we’re looking at Dowman.’

Arsenal will discover their opponents for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after Manchester United’s third-round tie with Brighton tonight.

Victory at Ipswich ensured the Gunners’ 100 per cent start to the new campaign continued, with Arteta’s men winning seven from seven in all competitions.

The Red Devils, meanwhile, fell to a disappointing defeat to ten-man Manchester City at the weekend and will look to issue an emphatic response at Old Trafford this evening.

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