Rooney says Man United losing "special talent" J.J. Gabriel would be "disappointing."

Wayne Rooney said on Disney+'s "Stick To Football" show: "I watched J.J. Gabriel grow up. He was always in my son Kai's team, and people around who know the situation knew this day would come."

"To be fair, Man United did everything they could—absolutely everything—to keep him at the club."

"The club might have treated him differently from other players because he's just so special. I understand that, and I can relate to it, because I was that kind of player at Everton. I also enjoyed that treatment there."

"As a club, you have to do that to try to keep the best players."

"It's disappointing because he's a fantastic player and a lovely kid."

"You never know if things have gone too far or if there's still a chance for him to stay."

Rooney said of the 15-year-old: "He's a top player. His ability and balance show he can play above his age group and score goals. The next step is first-team football, which is very different from youth football, and you only know how it will go once you're really in it."

"But he is a very special talent, and his understanding of the game is excellent."

"I think he would have made his first-team debut sometime this season, which is why it's so disappointing."

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