Meet 15-year-old JJ Gabriel, who might be the youngest player at Man Utd

Manchester United's young forward JJ Gabriel is getting a lot of attention after some great performances. Fans are curious about when he might make his first competitive appearance for the team.

At just 15 years old, Gabriel has trained regularly with the senior squad. He also played during Manchester United's pre-season, giving him a taste of what it's like to be with the first team.

According to BBC Sport on Wednesday, United coach Michael Carrick is being careful with Gabriel's development. He knows the young player has a lot of talent.

"JJ is one of the boys. He’s obviously got a really big talent. He’s trained with us quite a bit and is getting experience all the time.

“He’s physically adapting to each step, and we’re just continuing his development," Carrick said.

Gabriel's performances in Premier League 2 show why he is seen as one of the most exciting talents in United’s academy.

In his Premier League 2 debut against Ipswich at Leigh Sports Village, Gabriel scored a stunning goal after receiving a pass from Jack Fletcher.

He controlled the ball with his left foot and then scooped it over the goalkeeper with his right foot from the edge of the area.

A week later, he scored another impressive goal against Leicester. He received a short pass from Tynan Thompson with his back to the goal inside the box.

Gabriel pulled the ball back with his left foot and turned away from his defender. After staying on his feet under pressure, he shifted the ball to his left and went past another defender before shooting low into the net.

The whole move took under five seconds, showing his balance, strength, technique and calmness.

The goal went viral on social media, getting millions of views.

People have compared Gabriel's early career to that of Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs. Giggs made his first-team debut at age 17 in 1991.

He has talked about the need for patience when developing talented young players.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents: The Debrief, Giggs said that sometimes a young player thinks he is ready for senior football, but the manager feels that more youth-team games are better for him.

"Sometimes you have to be patient," Giggs said.

"Sometimes it gets to a point where you can’t pick him and not have him train in the first team; that might be in a month, might be six months, might be a year."

His words highlight the challenge United faces in deciding when Gabriel should step up to senior football.

Gabriel has already been around the first team during pre-season, including a match against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm.

He came on as a late substitute and got involved right away, even getting fouled by Uruguay captain Jose Maria Gimenez.

United has shared videos of Gabriel training with the first team. He has also been seen talking with fellow forward Benjamin Sesko.

There is talk that Gabriel might make his first competitive appearance in the EFL Cup.

If he plays before turning 16, he could become the youngest player in Manchester United history, breaking the record of goalkeeper David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old at his debut.

Gabriel turns 16 on October 6.

But United needs to think carefully about whether introducing him to senior football at such a young age is the right choice, especially with the challenges of the Premier League and European games.

Gabriel will not play against Sabah FK, as a 15-year-old can only participate in the Champions League if he is on the club’s 25-man A list. Arsenal did this with Max Dowman last season, but United did not include Gabriel on their list.

So, the UEFA Youth League and Premier League 2 remain important for his growth.

For now, the young player's performances keep opening doors for him.