Steven Gerrard gives honest take on Man Utd's JJ Gabriel saga

Steven Gerrard gives honest take on Man Utd's JJ Gabriel saga - 'It scares me'

JJ Gabriel has requested to leave Manchester United with immediate effect and flown to Barcelona for talks with potential suitors, and Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has spoken out

Steven Gerrard has claimed that he has been left ‘scared’ by JJ Gabriel’s attempts to leave Manchester United. The Red Devils youngster dropped the bombshell that he wanted to leave immediately earlier this week.

Since then, he has flown to Barcelona for talks. Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has now given his take on the 15-year-old’s situation and claimed that Old Trafford could actually end up being the best place for the youngster.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Gerrard said: “It’s not just in this situation. Broadly, it scares me in the game that kids can now be rushed or careers can be forced.

“I don’t know the details and the background in this isolated situation with JJ Gabriel but if you look at it all he’s at one of the biggest clubs in the world. They’ve got a history and a tradition of producing fantastic players.

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“There will be top people behind the scenes at Manchester United but the big thing for me is, you’ve got an English coach [Michael Carrick] and an English assistant manager [Steve Holland] who will want to, when the time is right, and when they think he’s ready, protect him… but when they feel he’s ready they will play him.

“Not just this situation, the game as a whole, these talents, they have parents, they have agents, outside influences that force and rush too soon, and it can affect a kid’s career.

“It is going to add huge pressure and also if you’re another club looking into this situation you’re thinking to yourself, ‘yeah the kid is a big talent’, but do you want the baggage and the noise around it?

“Let’s use Jose Mourinho for example at Real Madrid. Even if he goes to Real Madrid now, is Jose Mourinho going to play this kid straight away, is he going to be forced to push him? You know what these elite managers are like, they play kids when they are ready to contribute to the team.

“In my opinion they need to look after the kid’s health and his care, but Manchester United can give him that, they’ve got a history of doing that. I don’t see the rush, I don’t see the panic.

“I don’t know what’s been said or promised behind the scenes but from the outside this stinks to me that someone is pushing, forcing and rushing it. And I don’t think it’s going to help the kid in any way, shape or form.

“As a say, I’m a big rival of Manchester United, but I’ve watched Manchester United from afar, there’s top coaches there, top people. I know Michael Carrick very well and, if this kid was ready, he’d be getting played.”

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