Kai Rooney is permitted to make his  Manchester United senior debut this campaign – unlike fellow academy prospect JJ Gabriel. The 16-year-old – son of Red Devils legend Wayne Rooney – recently shone by netting four times in the Under-16s’ 6-4 Premier League Cup semi-final triumph against Norwich City.

He’s already featured for the Under-18s last year and has found the net once in three outings. Last month, he made his Old Trafford bow when entering as a substitute in the Under-18s’ 2-1 extra-time victory over Derby County to secure an FA Youth Cup quarter-final berth. Observed by his father and United interim manager Michael Carrick at the Theatre of Dreams, the youngster could potentially appear at the iconic venue again this season – this time representing the senior side.

According to Premier League regulations, players must be 15 years old when the 2025/26 campaign commenced in August to be eligible for first-team action. Since Kai turned 15 in November 2024, he’s legally entitled to feature under Carrick, although it seems extremely improbable this season at minimum. Regrettably, the same cannot be said for JJ Gabriel regarding a potential United bow in the Premier League.

Gabriel has featured in both of United’s FA Youth Cup victories this season, including a 115-minute stint in the win over Derby County, where he lined up alongside the teenage Rooney. With 15 goals in 20 league matches for United Under-18s this term, Gabriel has sparked considerable enthusiasm within the club.

The young player was eligible to participate in the FA Cup as Premier League age restrictions do not apply in the cup competition. However, United were eliminated from the tournament at home to Brighton, with fellow teenager Shea Lacey making his FA Cup debut but receiving a red card for two bookings.

United Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher acknowledged that Gabriel has a “bright future” and outlined what he needs to do to fulfil his football potential. “JJ is a fantastic talent,” the Scotsman declared. “I’ve enjoyed working with him immensely, getting to know him. He’s a young lad with a massive sort of hype, you know there’s a lot of noise around him and deservedly so because he’s a real talented kid.

“He works hard. First thing I’d say is he loves football. He loves training, he loves playing, he loves having the ball, he loves expressing himself. He makes fantastic decisions. He’s got an enthusiasm for the game that’s just amazing. 15-year-old, a bright future ahead of him. I’m super excited by his talent, but the most important thing is that he keeps developing, and he’s in the U18s team, and he’s doing fantastically well, but he’s still got lots to learn.”