Man Utd boss Michael Carrick breaks silence on JJ Gabriel transfer bombshell as he fears for 15 year old’s wellbeing

MICHAEL CARRICK has called on Manchester United to handle JJ Gabriel with “care” after the 15-year-old prodigy asked to leave the club this week. The teenager was set to be named in his first senior competitive squad in the Carabao Cup against Brighton, but would likely have missed out on a debut amid United‘s shambolic collapse in their 3-2 defeat. Manchester United boss Michael Carrick called for caution over JJ Gabriel’s situation Credit: Alamy The 15-year-old has stunned chiefs by asking to leave Old Trafford Credit: Alamy Plans to include Gabriel were shelved when the youngster stunned chiefs with a letter of de-registration and refused to train after his hat-trick against Sabah Under-19s in the Uefa Youth Cup victory last Thursday. Speaking for the first time on the topic, Carrick said: “We have to be a little bit careful on that one. He’s a 15-year-old boy. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! “It’s more about the welfare, the care and the attention of JJ as a child really. “He’s certainly a young man. The situation is what it is, but we have to be a little bit careful about the exposure and how we jump on that.” The chance of a debut and a place in United’s history books as the club’s youngest player – a status currently held by goalkeeper David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he played for the first time in 1956 – went up in smoke. One academy star who was handed a chance against Brighton was Shea Lacey, who made his full competitive debut. It took the 19-year-old eight minutes to score his first senior goal before Mason Mount doubled United’s lead seconds later. Carrick expressed regret over the result for Lacey, saying: “It’s a shame that Shea’s moment gets a bit lost. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Gabriel was set to be named in the squad for United’s Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton Credit: Shutterstock Editorial It was 19-year-old Shea Lacey who was given a chance instead after scoring the opener Credit: Getty “It’s such a great moment for him, for his family, his friends and the whole academy, to have an academy player come in and have a moment like that and that’s everyone through the academy who’s helped him, takes pride in that type of moment. “But unfortunately it gets lost, which it won’t for him when things settle down, but as we sit here now, it feels that it was a long time ago.” Liverpool born Lacey kissed his badge after scoring with his signature finish before goals from Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper caused the turnaround as United were booed off. United’s week, which started with the controversial but poor 1-0 derby defeat against 10-man City, went from bad to disastrous after the hosts surrendered a 2-0 lead to crash out of the League Cup at the first time of asking for the second straight season. It was the first time United had led at home by two goals and lost since they were beaten 3-2 by Tottenham in 1976, half a century ago. United are understood to be fearful that Gabriel could walk away from the club on his 16th birthday next month. There are concerns that United will not be able to stop Gabriel from leaving on October 6 and signing for an overseas club, using his Irish passport to get around rules that usually afford United greater protection. Comment now