Emile Heskey warns JJ Gabriel over European move amid Man Utd exit
Emile Heskey has warned JJ Gabriel that leaving Manchester United for another European giant will only benefit the teenage prospect if it results in regular first-team football.
Gabriel has become the subject of significant interest from clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich after asking to leave United.
He turned 16 on Tuesday and is now able to sign a professional contract with a European club, subject to the relevant regulations.
Clear route the key
Heskey believes the decision could accelerate Gabriel’s development if he finds the right destination, but warned against simply moving from one prestigious academy to another without a clear route into senior football.
The former England striker used Martin Odegaard’s career as an example of the potential pitfalls.
“It could be the same kind of thing as Martin Odegaard,” Heskey told 10bet.
“When Odegaard joined Real Madrid at 16, every club wanted him. He ended up out on loan year after year and barely played for Real.”
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Testing yourself against the best
Heskey believes Gabriel’s priority should therefore be finding an environment where he can regularly compete against senior players rather than simply joining another famous club.
“There’s not an obvious route to the first team, if he takes that route and goes to one of the big Spanish clubs,” he said.
“The silver-lining would be, you’re playing first team, men's football, you’re developing.”
Gabriel has been training away from United amid the dispute, with Sky Sports reporting that the teenager and his family are yet to make a final decision on his future.
Heskey nevertheless believes Gabriel and his family must ultimately trust their own judgement if they decide a move is the best route.
Play as soon as possible
“You can only believe in your own ability to get yourself a first-team spot somewhere,” he said.
“If he chooses Real Madrid or Barcelona and if he believes in himself very highly, then you can’t argue with the decision of the player and the family.”
The former striker also stressed that young players cannot afford to spend years waiting for opportunities that may never arrive.
“These kids actually have to go out and play,” Heskey added.
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