Richard Keys reckons JJ Gabriel wants to leave Manchester United because of two Arsenal players
News broke on Tuesday that JJ Gabriel wants to cancel his Manchester United registration.
The 15-year-old, nicknamed “Kid Messi” and described by Ryan Giggs as a “generational talent”, formally notified United that he wants to leave. The teenager has been at the club since he was 11 and scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League against Sabah just last week, and has now wiped all mention of United from his social media accounts.
Whether the decision is coming from Gabriel himself or from his player’s camp, most notably his father, has been widely discussed. But the Telegraph’s original story indicates that the player is frustrated by receiving mixed messages from the club.
Richard Keys has now weighed in with a theory of his own about what might have pushed Gabriel over the edge, and it involves two Arsenal players.
Richard Keys thinks Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri are the reason JJ Gabriel wants to leave
Speaking on 10 Minute Takes on Keys & Gray Unleashed’s YouTube channel, Keys said: “I guess someone is in his ear saying ‘look at what Max Dowman has achieved, look at what Nwaneri has achieved — there are babies as well — maybe he thinks he should be further down the line than he is.”
Of course, Max Dowman scored twice against Ipswich on Tuesday night, becoming only the second 16-year-old to score twice in a game for a Premier League side after Wayne Rooney. He produced an incredible performance and scored a solo goal that had Arsenal fans comparing him to Lionel Messi.
Ethan Nwaneri, meanwhile, has had a decent start to life at Borussia Dortmund since his loan move. The 19-year-old produced a goal contribution on his Bundesliga debut and followed it up with an impressive Champions League display against Villarreal. He was then rewarded with his first start in a 3-0 win over Paderborn.
Both Dowman and Nwaneri were given their Arsenal debuts at just 15. Keys is suggesting that both have been trusted, developed and platformed in a way that Gabriel, watching from Old Trafford, may well have envied.
Arsenal showed against Ipswich that there is a clear pathway for young prospects if they earn their opportunities, by finishing the game with five Hale End teenagers on the pitch. JJ Gabriel would be wise to look at that and take notice when deciding his next move.