Man Utd target Lens sensation to fill JJ Gabriel void despite top dogs being unleashed to engineer U-turn

Manchester United are refusing to give up on JJ Gabriel, but their scouting department is continuing to assess options who could help strengthen their young talent pool, with Lens sensation Mezian Mesloub emerging as one of them, TEAMtalk can reveal.

It emerged this week that Gabriel, United’s prized young player, wants to leave the club, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea now battling for the 15-year-old’s signature.

United are working hard to keep Gabriel and TEAMtalk understands chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox have become involved in efforts to resolve the situation.

However, the club are also continuing to work on their wider squad and recruitment plans, with Mesloub one of the young players attracting significant attention from their scouting department.

The 16-year-old is rapidly emerging as one of the most talked-about young players in European football after making his first-team debut for Lens last season and immediately making an impact at senior level.

We can confirm United’s scouts have been carrying out extensive work on Mesloub as they assess the teenager’s development and consider whether he could become a potential long-term target.

Mesloub made his professional debut for Lens in May 2026, coming off the bench against Nantes and scoring just five seconds after being introduced as Lens secured a 1-0 victory. The goal helped send Lens into the Champions League and made Mesloub the fastest player to score on his Ligue 1 debut.

The teenager has since continued to attract attention with his performances and is regarded as one of the most exciting young talents to emerge in France.

Mesloub is currently being used predominantly as an inverted right-winger and has already developed a reputation for his creativity, technical ability and composure in the final third.

Despite his age, Mesloub plays with considerable maturity and possesses an impressive passing range and vision, while his ability to dictate attacks has made him a player scouts are increasingly monitoring.

United are now keeping a close eye on his progress, but they are not alone in their interest.

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TEAMtalk understands Arsenal and Chelsea have also been conducting scouting work on Mesloub, while Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco are keen to keep the teenager in France and could look at making a move in 2027.

The Premier League clubs face a significant complication, however, because of Mesloub’s age.

The Lens star does not turn 18 until late 2027, meaning an international move to England would not be straightforward and, under the relevant FIFA regulations, he could not move to an English club until 2028 at the earliest unless an applicable exception were to arise.

That gives the French clubs an opportunity to try to secure Mesloub’s future before he reaches the age when a move abroad becomes more straightforward.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig have also been monitoring the teenager in recent weeks, underlining the growing international interest surrounding his development.

For Manchester United, Mesloub represents another player who could potentially form part of their long-term plans as they continue to monitor the situation surrounding Gabriel.

United remain determined to retain Gabriel, but their recruitment department is also assessing the wider market rather than leaving themselves exposed should the teenager ultimately decide to pursue another opportunity.

Mesloub’s background makes his situation even more interesting with a trio of counrties chasing him.

The teenager is the son of former Lens captain and Algerian international Walid Mesloub, and he is now being courted at international level by Portugal, France and Algeria.

Mesloub was born in France and qualifies for Algeria through his father, while his mother’s Portuguese background makes him eligible for Portugal.

At present, however, Portugal appear to be edging ahead in the international battle, with Mesloub representing their Under-18s.

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