Mikel Arteta's comments on Max Dowman sum up what JJ Gabriel now has to decide at Man Utd

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's comments on Max Dowman after his brace in the Gunners' 4-2 win over Ipswich in the Carabao Cup provide a direct comparison to JJ Gabriel's situation at Manchester United - and the decision he has to make soon.

It was reported by The Telegraph on Tuesday that Gabriel, 15, had informed United of his desire to leave the club immediately and have his registration cancelled. His entourage is said to be unhappy with his development and lack of opportunities at senior level.

It was expected that Gabriel would make his first senior start in United's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

READ NEXT: Man Utd wonderkid JJ Gabriel informs club of his desire to leave in shock career decision

Arteta's Max Dowman comment make JJ Gabriel's situation clear

In comparison, Arsenal wonderkid Dowman, who is a year older at 16, started the Gunners' win over Ipswich at Portman Road and put in a superb display.

He played the full 90 minutes and his first goal was well worth a second watch, with the attacking midfielder dribbling past defender Cedric Kipre before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom left corner beyond goalkeeper Christian Walton.

Dowman's reaction to a misplaced Viktor Gyokeres pass showed just how much belief he has that he can receive the ball and play with confidence - something that Gunners manager Arteta praised him for in his post-match press conference.

READ MORE: Max Dowman's instant reaction to Viktor Gyokeres moment vs Ipswich Town speaks volumes

"That's something very natural for him," Arteta said of Dowman's first goal. "He can deliver those actions effortlessly, I would say. That's his biggest quality.

"In the first goal, he loses his man. And that's the thing that we need to continue to reiterate with him, because he's an unbelievable player because of the character that he has, and how much he loves to play at the biggest stage, and still handles the situation with such a naturality."

Dowman has already broken a heap of records while at Arsenal. He is the club's youngest-ever starter, at 15 years and 302 days, the youngest Premier League goalscorer (16 years and 73 days) and the youngest Premier League winner (16 years and 139 days).

But the Gunners have been very cautious not to over-expose Dowman at such a young age. He has been a regular in Arsenal's matchday squads this season, but Tuesday was his first senior appearance of the season.

Arteta spoke about the need to play Dowman 'in the right context, with the right preparation' - and Tuesday was clearly a fine example of just that.

It was also telling that the Spaniard spoke about how Dowman would get more opportunities to play in other European leagues if he wanted to take that option, but that he had to be fully prepared to take on the physicality of the Premier League week in, week out.

"We're going to make sure that when we just throw him there, he's ready to handle that at every level," Arteta said. "And it's not just that he can run past somebody.

"There's a lot more things that we need to look after him. But he will dictate that, in terms of how he behaves every single day and how many reasons he gives up to play him because he's still part of our squad. Like anybody else, no different.

"The only thing that we have to manage is that he needs to constantly be aware that he needs to be prepared to what he needs to do."

JJ Gabriel has big transfer decision to make

There are some comparisons between Dowman and Gabriel. The 15-year-old is 10 months younger than Dowman, though the Arsenal starlet had made his senior Champions League debut by the same age.

Dowman stands at 6ft tall, and appears to be adapting quickly to the physical demands of senior football. Gabriel's exact height is not publicly recorded as he continues to grow; a report by The Independent in March listed him at 5ft 5in.

Gabriel was involved with the senior squad during United's pre-season, though he only featured for eight minutes across the four matches he could have played in.

He won United's Young Player of the Year award last season, and netted a hat-trick for the U18s in their UEFA Youth League win over Sabah Baku last week. His decision to request his departure from the club is said to have left United 'shocked'.

The Athletic reports that Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain all hold interest in signing the 15-year-old, and Real are believed to 'feel well-positioned' to secure a deal. Gabriel is free to move abroad once he turns 16, though he could switch clubs earlier due to a rule loophole related to dual nationality.

READ MORE: JJ Gabriel could leave Man United for Real Madrid next month due to little-known loophole

Arteta's comments perhaps provide an insight into why United do not want to expose Gabriel to too much, too soon. But one of his other remarks about Dowman - about how he could gain more opportunities in Europe if he wanted to - sum up the decision Gabriel now has to make.

There are clearly multiple ways of approaching an elite young player's development, whether that be remaining in the Premier League and playing more of a patient game before potentially going out on loan, or moving to Europe to gain opportunities.

While Gabriel may not get that straight away at the aforementioned elite clubs, there are countless examples of young players going abroad in a successful search for more first-team chances and being all the better for it. Whether he believes he can get the same opportunities as Dowman has as a United player is a bigger question.

United will clearly feel Old Trafford is the best place for Gabriel's development, but will now face the tricky task of convincing him and his entourage to stay put. The club can challenge Gabriel's request, with the 15-year-old able to go directly to the Premier League to request a termination if an agreement between both parties isn't reached.