Giggs sends Gabriel a clear warning despite comparison with Man Utd legend

Ryan Giggs believes JJ Gabriel is a "generational talent" who reminds him of Wayne Rooney, but he's urged the Manchester United youngster to remain patient for his first-team breakthrough.

Gabriel has a huge amount of hype around him, having caught the eye of United's coaches and their supporters at the tender age of 15. He made his maiden first-team appearance against Atletico Madrid in pre-season and could become United's youngest ever debutant in the coming weeks.

Gabriel doesn't turn 16 until October 6, meaning he has plenty of time to beat the record held by goalkeeper David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days when he made his debut for United.

He has been starring for United's under-21s recently and there is a clamour for Michael Carrick to thrust him into the spotlight when United play Brighton in the Carabao Cup next week.

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Giggs knows all about what Gabriel is facing, having first trained with the United first team at the age of 15 before making his debut aged 17. The legendary United winger discussed his prospects with ex-teammate Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel.

"It was really interesting to see how they're integrating the young players into the squad," Ferdinand said on The Debrief, reflecting on a training session he witnessed in Dublin this summer. "Shea Lacey, the Fletcher twins, JJ Gabriel. I watched a session, a small-sided game. Off both feet, he's ridiculous - getting a yard and bang.

"So small and slight but doesn't allow people contact. He did a shooting drill... imagine being 15 on the training pitch with the PFA Player of the Year, captain of your club, best player at your club (Bruno Fernandes) - and you and him are the focal point of a shooting drill in front of everybody. And he's looking comfortable and unfazed.

"Forget his ability, just his mental ability to put the noise out the way and do something like that. My head would've been gone. I remember being called over to the first-team training pitch when I was 17 or 18 and I was like 'gather yourself, get your thoughts together' but he just looked calm, it was unreal."

Giggs: "That sounds like Wayne, doesn't it?"

Ferdinand: "Yeah, the mindset."

Giggs: "Just give me the ball, give me the ball, I don't care who I'm training with."

Giggs then went on to give Gabriel some advice, stating "sometimes you have to be patient".

"You need to play games and it's difficult because if you're in squads for the first team you're not going to turn that down, but also you need minutes on the pitch," he explained. "A couple of times I went up to the first team and then went back to the youth team - and it's about how you react to that. Are they still showing that same ability when they go back?

"He's at the best club because of the history of young players coming through and how they're looked after. He's got good people around him who have played at the club - Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans.

"It's sort of a generational talent, so there's no point going out on loan because he's at the best place. He'll be dipping in and out of the first team so that experience is invaluable - not only the games and the training, but also travelling with the team and managing the expectation of United. The focus is so huge on Manchester United and you need to get used to that."

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