Man Utd are lining up teenage sensation to replace JJ Gabriel as academy crown jewel
Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a move to sign Lens wonderkid Mezian Mesloub amid increasing doubts over JJ Gabriel's future at Old Trafford.
Gabriel, 15, informed United earlier this week that he wanted to leave the club and would be submitting a request to terminate his registration with the club.
He is said to be unhappy with his development and lack of first-team opportunities - though he was due to start United's Carabao Cup third round clash against Brighton on Wednesday - with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all interested in signing him. But United are taking steps to bolster their academy with or without Gabriel in it.
Man Utd target Lens starlet
According to TEAMtalk, United have scouted Lens midfielder Mesloub, who has already made his Ligue 1 debut at the age of 16.
He has caps for Portugal's U15 and U17 age-group squads, while he is eligible to play for France as the country of his birth and for Algeria through his father, the former Lorient and Le Havre midfielder Walid Mesloub.
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He scored the winning goal on his senior debut for Lens in May during a 1-0 victory over Nantes, and has made two further appearances in the league this season. Mesloub also made his Champions League debut in Lens' dramatic 3-2 victory over Slavia Prague earlier this week.
TEAMtalk note that Mesloub has developed a reputation for his 'creativity, technical ability and composure in the final third' and often plays as an 'inverted winger'.
United are said to have carried out 'extensive work' in scouting the 16-year-old but face competition from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
Mesloub would not be able to sign for an English club until he turns 18 due to Brexit regulations, meaning he can only move to the Premier League in the January 2028 transfer window.
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Gabriel's future, meanwhile, is still far from decided, with England choosing not to call him up to any of their age-group squads for the upcoming internationals due to his ongoing situation at Manchester United.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that talks have taken place between Gabriel's representatives and several European clubs, naming Spain as a 'more than likely' destination for the 15-year-old.
But he claims that direct talks have not yet taken place with Gabriel, as negotiations are not at an advanced stage with any clubs.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who came through the Reds' academy, issued a warning to Gabriel about leaving United at this point of his career.
Speaking on TNT Sports on Saturday, Gerrard said: "Broadly, it scares me in the game that kids can now be rushed and careers can be forced. I don't know the details and the background in this isolated situation with JJ Gabriel, but if you look at it all, he's at one of the biggest clubs in the world. They've got a history and a tradition of producing fantastic players ... when they feel he's ready, they will play him.
"Not just this situation, the game as a whole: these talents, they have parents, they have agents, outside influences that force and rush too soon, and it can affect a kid's career."
"Even if he goes to Real Madrid now," Gerrard added, citing their manager Jose Mourinho as an example. "Is Jose Mourinho going to play this kid straight away? Is he going to be forced to push him? You know what these elite managers are like - they play kids when they are ready to contribute to the team.
"In my opinion, they need to look after the kid's health and his care. But Manchester United can give him that. They've got a history of doing that. I don't see the rush, I don't see the panic ... From the outside, this stinks to me that someone is pushing, forcing and rushing it. And I don't think it's going to help the kid in any way, shape or form."
Topics: Man Utd, Premier League
Ryan Smart