Manchester United's Next Steps for Harry Amass and JJ Gabriel After U-21 Victory
Manchester United’s 5-0 dismantling of Ipswich Town in Premier League 2 on Monday night did more than light up Leigh Sports Village. It sharpened the focus on two teenagers now forcing their way into the club’s thinking: Harry Amass and JJ Gabriel.
Both caught the eye in a ruthless display, and Michael Carrick knows the questions that follow performances like that. What happens next?
Amass impresses – but could still be heading out
Amass has spent the summer living in Luke Shaw’s shadow, literally and figuratively. The 19-year-old left-back has operated as Shaw’s understudy in pre-season, building on an excellent loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last term.
That campaign, though, ended on a frustrating note. A switch to Norwich City in the second half of the season was derailed by injury, halting his momentum just as he looked ready to kick on.
United have not managed to bring in a new left-back in this window, a detail that might normally cement a young defender’s place in the squad. Not this time. Carrick admitted that, even after a strong pre-season and another polished outing on Monday, Amass could still leave before Tuesday’s deadline.
Despite the lack of reinforcements in his position, a loan is now viewed inside the club as more likely than a permanent exit.
Carrick framed it as part of the late-window balancing act every big club faces: building a competitive first-team squad while not stalling individual careers. He stressed how pleased he has been with Amass, praising his “really good season” before the injury and his level across the summer. The performance “the other night” only reinforced that view.
The message is clear. United value him. They just might believe his next step comes with regular minutes somewhere else.
JJ Gabriel announces himself in style
If Amass represents the familiar loan dilemma, JJ Gabriel is the surge of something new.
On his competitive debut for the U-21s, the 15-year-old didn’t just blend in. He tore the game open. One stunning goal. Two assists. A statement performance wrapped in 90 minutes.
Carrick was in the stands at Leigh Sports Village to watch it unfold and came away enthused by more than just one teenager. He talked up the collective display – a “really strong team” whose quality was obvious from the start – and highlighted the attitude and application across the side.
Inside that, though, Gabriel’s contribution stood out. Carrick described him as “one of the boys”, not a novelty act parachuted in from a younger age group. The staff have already integrated him into first-team training sessions, and he is clocking up experience at a rate most players his age can only dream of.
Physically, he is still catching up with each new level he reaches. That is normal. What matters to United is that every step – from training pitches to competitive U-21 football – is feeding into his development rather than overwhelming him.
Carrick’s verdict underlined that point: a “really big talent” who is being carefully exposed, not rushed.
For Amass, the next move could be away from Old Trafford, at least for a season. For Gabriel, the journey is only just beginning. Two careers at very different stages, both suddenly carrying a little more intrigue after one ruthless night against Ipswich Town.
