Why Man United wonderkid JJ Gabriel isn't allowed to wear the same training shirt as his team-mates
JJ Gabriel is one of Manchester United's most exciting talents but is facing a number of restrictions because of his age.
Aged 15, Gabriel became the youngest player to represent United in an unofficial game when he came off the bench for a nine-minute cameo in the 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid at the Strawberry Arena last weekend.
There has been huge hype surrounding the England youth international, who trained with the first-team last season and has been tipped to make the breakthrough at Old Trafford.
Gabriel was Player of the Season in the Under 18's last season and helped the team reach the FA Youth Cup final.
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The first-team is his next step, with Gabriel potentially following the same path as Arsenal sensation Max Dowman.
However, it's emerged that Gabriel is actually blocked from wearing the same training shirt as the rest of his United teammates.
The Red Devils have been debuting a new kit in pre-season training sessions after announcing a new £20 million-a-year deal with Betway.
Premier League clubs are now banned from having gambling companies as their main shirt sponsor after a rule change was brought in for the 2026/27 campaign.
The loophole which many are exploiting is to have the sponsorship agreements for training shirts, which can still exist.
United had a year without a sponsor following their deal with blockchain firm Tezos expiring.
Because he is under 18, Gabriel is not allowed to wear any attire with a gambling logo and that applies to training shirts
The rule has prevented youngsters from wearing a sponsor on shirts in Premier League and Football League shirts in the past.
JJ Gabriel's contract situation explained after unofficial Man United debut
Gabriel is expected to be given more minutes on United's pre-season tour, which continues with clashes against Paris Saint-Germain and Leeds United in Gothenburg and Dublin, respectively.
But he is not yet able to sign a professional contract with the club. Players cannot be offered the deal until they are in their Under 16 year or sign it until they turn 17.
In Gabriel's case, 'Kid Messi' - as he was dubbed in a viral YouTube video, turns 17 on 6 October 2027.
Legendary Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler discussed Gabriel's contract situation on The Joy Of Football podcast, explaining: "The case that's being discussed a lot in football at the moment is JJ Gabriel. "I think he has a five-year deal that gives him one or two guaranteed years as a full-time professional."
Gabriel does have a long-term sponsorship deal with boot supplier Nike, after penning a deal in March 2025. He has been with the swoosh brand since he was 11 years old.
In another huge move, Gabriel has been given a trading card made with real 24-carat gold by Topps. 20 players have received the honour, including Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Declan Rice.
Dowman, another one of England's top talents and the youngest Premier League winner, signed a pre-contract with Arsenal in January 2026.
The 16-year-old will be listed as a scholar for the first half of the 2026/27 season before signing professional terms on his 17th birthday on New Year's Eve (31 December).
Topics: Man Utd
Josh Lawless