Manchester United appears to be preparing for the debut of their new academy prodigy! It has been revealed that he dislikes the nickname "Little Messi" and wants to be himself.

Undoubtedly, Manchester United’s next academy star is the 15-year-old Gabriel. In fact, he may make his first-team debut in next month’s FA Cup. Gabriel has had numerous interactions with current United coach Ruben Amorim, frequently taking part in first-team training sessions where he has showcased his excellent ball control and ambidextrous skills. United captain Bruno Fernandes is particularly warm towards Gabriel, often calling him by name and engaging in friendly conversations.

Previously, Manchester United had tried to shield Gabriel from excessive public attention. However, by the end of November, the club publicly shared photos of him training with the senior squad for the first time and even used one of these images to promote merchandise. This move signals a new approach by United in managing Gabriel’s exposure, suggesting he is about to step into the spotlight.

The management under newly appointed academy director Steve Thorpe this season has greatly pleased Gabriel and his family. They are also very grateful for the guidance from U18 coach Darren Fletcher, whose coaching style draws from his experience as a former Manchester United and Scotland international player.

During Tuesday’s FA Youth Cup match, Fletcher paid close attention to Gabriel, having private discussions with him twice during the game’s pauses about positioning. Midway through the first half, Fletcher instructed Gabriel to push forward while United was building an attack from the back, with Gabriel moving into midfield areas.

Gabriel is regarded as a highly coachable player who listens carefully to advice. United U21 coach Travis Binnion also offered guidance from the sidelines, loudly urging Gabriel to get back into formation after losing possession. Earlier, he praised Gabriel’s decision to dribble past opponents skillfully, successfully evading two defenders.

In the match against Peterborough United, Gabriel wore the number 10 jersey and played in the number 10 role. He often received the ball with his back to goal and passed with his left foot instead of his stronger right. Gabriel’s excellent balance and ability to use both feet enable him to create passing angles that would otherwise be impossible. He also possesses impressive dribbling skills, once nutmegging an opponent to the amazement of thousands at Old Trafford.

Gabriel is still developing and has some knee issues. His efficiency during matches also needs improvement. However, for a boy not yet through middle school, competing against older, physically more mature opponents means stamina can be his biggest challenge.

Therefore, this season Fletcher usually positions Gabriel as a number 9, allowing him to operate closer to goal and fully utilize his skills in tight spaces. Most of his goals come from combining quick dribbling with precise finishing. Nevertheless, it is expected that once his physique matures, Gabriel will return to the number 10 role in the coming years.

Although Gabriel is slender, he is very tough. Last October, during the "Floodlight Cup" match against Blackburn, he dislocated his shoulder in the 7th minute but continued playing after the medical team relocated the joint, eventually scoring a hat-trick. However, the injury required surgery, causing him to miss five and a half months and delaying his debut for Manchester United’s under-18 team.

Gabriel began playing football at six and managed to juggle the ball 1,000 times consecutively within a week. Later, he could even complete 10,000 juggles in about an hour, demonstrating immense patience and strong willpower to overcome leg fatigue and eye strain.

Although he started playing football relatively late, Gabriel’s talent quickly emerged. By age nine, football video blogger SV2 discovered him and nicknamed him "Little Messi." That video from six years ago has amassed 29 million views. However, Gabriel does not want to be called "Little Messi" because he wants to be his own person.

This was a request from Gabriel’s father, Joe Okaruir, who changed the family surname to Gabriel to give his son a more international name and align with their religious beliefs. Joe felt that the name Okaruir did not sound distinctive enough.

Social media has impacted Gabriel’s real life, and he has gradually become accustomed to being asked for photos. Last week, he and his father visited the Leaf Sports Village to watch the England U21 national team play against Belgium’s Anderlecht, where many people requested pictures with him.

Gabriel was born in London and has been part of Arsenal, Chelsea, and West Ham youth setups. At age seven, he was spotted by Manchester United scout Gaz Thomas during a Manchester Cup match. Scouts from Manchester City, Liverpool, and Everton also showed interest. Gabriel’s family later toured United’s training ground and met then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Two years later, when Gabriel was nine, the family moved to Manchester, and he officially signed with United, with Luke Fedorenko, soon to leave the academy department, handling the transfer.

At 11, Gabriel signed with Manchester United alongside Cristiano Ronaldo’s son, Mini Ro, and the two became close friends. This year, despite Adidas spending months trying to secure his sponsorship, Gabriel ultimately signed a shoe deal with Nike, just like Ronaldo.

Gabriel has consistently worn Nike boots, choosing the same model once used by Neymar, his first football idol. He scored his first goal at Old Trafford wearing those boots. Besides academy director Thorpe, United’s negotiations head Matt Hargreaves and transfer director Christopher Viveil reportedly watched the match from the stands.

Earlier, after scoring a hat-trick against Liverpool’s youth team, Gabriel mimicked Liverpool striker Isaac’s celebration. However, he was later advised not to repeat it to avoid unnecessary conflicts or controversies. So this time, Gabriel opted for a sliding knee celebration.

Insiders at Manchester United advise fans to be patient with Gabriel and hope he remains unaffected by fame. The journey from academy talent to a mature professional footballer can be full of twists and may even end in failure.