JJ Gabriel has been named Manchester United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season. The 15-year-old becomes the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious award.
Gabriel surpassed the previous record held by Angel Gomes. Gomes won the accolade in 2017 at 16 years and eight months old. Now Gabriel stands alone as the youngest recipient in the award’s history.
The teenager has been nothing short of dominant. Playing exclusively for the Under-18s, Gabriel registered 26 goals and four assists in 29 appearances across all competitions this season.
His numbers in the U18 Premier League are particularly eye-catching. He scored 23 goals in as many league games, a goal per game average that is remarkable for any player. Add three strikes in the FA Youth Cup, and the tally becomes even more impressive.
Darren Fletcher’s side reached the FA Youth Cup final this season. Gabriel led the attack before United fell 2-1 to Manchester City in the final at the Joie Stadium.
Two major awards in a week
The Jimmy Murphy award is not the only silverware Gabriel has collected. Earlier this week, he was named the inaugural Premier League Under-18 Player of the Season. The league introduced the award specifically to recognise outstanding young talent like Gabriel.
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He joins an exclusive group of past winners that includes Norman Whiteside, Mark Hughes, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Marcus Rashford, and Kobbie Mainoo. Harry Amass won the award last season.
Gabriel scored a hat trick in a 7-0 demolition of Liverpool in November. He also found the net against the same opponent in the reverse fixture at Carrington. Those performances announced his arrival on the biggest youth stage.
Under-18 manager Darren Fletcher has backed Gabriel for a swift promotion. He told The Athletic that the 15-year-old is more than capable of going on the club’s preseason tour this summer.
“JJ’s more than capable,” Fletcher said. “We want him to go up there and thrive. We need to get him in the position to do that.”
The Premier League currently prevents players from making their senior debut in the same campaign they turn 15. That rule, combined with Gabriel only turning 15 last October, has delayed his first-team bow until next season. Once he is eligible, he could break United’s 70-year-old record for the youngest ever debutant. That mark is currently held by David Gaskell at 16 years and 19 days.
Gabriel has already trained with the senior squad on multiple occasions. First team stars like Bryan Mbeumo have singled him out for special praise after watching him in sessions.
For now, the teenager will continue to develop under Fletcher’s guidance. But the stage is set. JJ Gabriel has broken the age barrier. A first-team breakthrough is now only a matter of time.
