JJ Gabriel is not Man Utd wonderkid’s real name with ex-Arsenal dad changing it to make star more marketable

JJ GABRIEL is NOT the wantaway Manchester United wonderkid’s real name. That’s because he did CHANGED IT to make his son more marketable. Gabriel is only 15 but has attracted attention from every major club in the country Credit: Alamy The youngster scored 26 goals in 26 games last season Credit: Getty 15-year-old sensation Gabriel’s real name is Joseph Junior Andreou O’Cearuill. But a well-informed source told SunSport the name switch was to make the teenager more “brandable”. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! Gabriel’s father was also a footballer, Joe O’Cearuill. O’Cearuill was a professional footballer briefly on Arsenal’s books, before playing for Brighton in a journeyman career. He was capped twice by the Republic of Ireland on a post-season tour of the United States in 2007, three years before Gabriel was born. Now he also acts as the starlet’s agent – and is pushing for United to release him to sign a lucrative deal elsewhere. Gabriel, playing up multiple age groups, bagged 26 goals in 26 games for the under-18s last season to win United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. Previous winners of that award include Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS He was in line to be involved in the senior squad for the first time in a competitive game for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash with the Seagulls. That was until he unexpectedly told United he wants to leave the club and become a free agent. SunSport revealed on Tuesday that United chiefs fear local rivals Manchester City could be his next destination. The starlet is seen as one of the biggest young talents in English football and it would be an almighty blow if United were to lose him. He has even been given the nickname ‘kid Messi’ for his unbelievable talent. Comment now