Manchester United's Next Steps for JJ Gabriel and Harry Amass After U-21 Win
Manchester United’s academy conveyor belt rolled a little louder on Monday night – and Michael Carrick knows he now has decisions to make.
A 5-0 dismantling of Ipswich Town in Premier League 2 at Leigh Sports Village showcased two very different stories in the club’s youth set-up: a 19-year-old left-back on the brink of senior football and a 15-year-old forward already bending games to his will.
Amass impresses – but could be on the move
Harry Amass has spent the summer living in the shadow of Luke Shaw, but not shrinking in it. Used as back-up to the England international in pre-season, the young left-back has quietly strengthened his case for more minutes after a mixed year on loan.
He shone at Sheffield Wednesday last season before injury disrupted the second half of his campaign following a switch to Norwich City. That setback stalled his momentum, yet his form since returning has clearly caught Carrick’s eye.
Even so, the United manager admitted the defender could still walk out of the door before Tuesday’s deadline – on loan, not permanently.
“It comes to this stage [of the window], and there's always a little bit where, and this is not just Harry by the way, this is just the stage of the window and putting squads together and dynamics of changes, and younger players and loans and not loans, and all sorts of different scenarios,” Carrick said.
“I think we always try to do the best for each individual player, as well as keeping the group strong. I've been really pleased with Harry. I think he had a really good season that didn't finish so good with the injury, but it's been great to have him around pre-season. He's done really well. So, let's see what happens. But he played really well the other night.”
United have not managed to bring in a new left-back this summer, a detail that would usually slam the door on any exit for a promising understudy. Instead, a temporary move is now viewed as the likeliest outcome, with a loan preferred to a sale as the club look to protect his long-term value and development.
JJ Gabriel announces himself in style
While Amass weighs up his next step, JJ Gabriel is only just starting to climb the ladder – and he’s doing it two rungs at a time.
On his competitive debut for the U-21s, the 15-year-old lit up the 5-0 rout with a stunning goal and two assists. It wasn’t just the numbers that stood out, but the authority with which he played in a much older age group.
Carrick, watching on from the stands, left Leigh Sports Village sounding as excited as anyone.
“I thought the boys played ever so well, actually,” he said. “Really good team, really strong team that we had, and you could see that the quality. I really enjoyed the game.
“Really pleased with the boys, the way they went about it. The quality, the attitude, everything about the game was really good. So, really encouraged by that.
“JJ is one of the boys. He's obviously got a really big talent. He's trained with us quite a bit. He's getting experience all the time. He's physically adapting to each step that he makes, and just continuing his development.”
The message is clear: United know what they have on their hands, but they are in no rush. Gabriel is already training regularly with higher groups, being tested physically and tactically, and Monday’s performance suggested he’s handling each new challenge with composure.
For Amass, the next few hours of the window will shape his season. For Gabriel, the path is longer, but the markers are already in place. United’s future on the left flank might just have been on the pitch together in that 5-0 win – the only question now is how quickly each of them is pushed towards the first team.
