JJ Gabriel, Ratcliffe criticism and 'special young talents' - Man United academy chief aiming to be 'best in the world'Stephen Torpey has spoken out in an interview with external media after his appointment as Man Utd's academy chief. ‌“The academy has really slipped at Manchester United," Ratcliffe said. An unusually sparse schedule at first team level has led to heightened interest in the club's academy, as has the emergence of young talents like JJ Gabriel. ‌"I've got to be careful that I don't put unnecessary pressure on anyone from the academy," Torpey said in response to a question about Gabriel. We have some special talents right now in our groups, and JJ is one of those, for sure."

Source: Express March 17, 2026 13:33 UTC