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For a start, the idea of winning the major youth prizes with the Old Trafford outfit appealed to Gabriel. In addition, a pathway towards the first team was outlined, starting with appearances in senior training sessions, initially under Ruben Amorim and then Michael Carrick.
There was speculation around a first-team debut last season, which could only be in the FA Cup as Gabriel was not old enough to feature in the Premier League.
Fletcher, Gabriel's coach for the under-18 team, and who decided to use the youngster centrally rather than in his favoured wide role, believing he would find more space to use his natural ability, was in interim charge for the third-round tie with Brighton in January 2026 but decided it was too early to play Gabriel.
United's defeat meant there was no further opportunity for Gabriel in a senior match.
Nevertheless, as he was now a regular presence at training, it was anticipated Gabriel would feature during United's pre-season programme.
His absence from the initial trip to Helsinki for a meeting with Wrexham on 18 July was put down to the date he returned for pre-season training. He was part of four squads out of five after that, but played only once, for eight minutes against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on 1 August.
Gabriel had a couple of trademark runs and shots but, as he was taking virtually his first touch, he was also clattered by Uruguay skipper Jose Maria Gimenez. The force of the challenge from behind sent Gabriel sprawling and was a reminder why some at United felt the youngster was not yet physically strong enough to play at senior level.
Did that relative lack of action sow the seeds of discontent? Not only did some of Gabriel's long-standing academy team-mates get more exposure in pre-season, but another attacking player, 18-year-old Tynan Thompson, was given a 45-minute senior debut against Leeds at Croke Park, three weeks after his arrival from Tottenham.
It was still felt Gabriel was likely to become United's youngest ever player this autumn and probably in the EFL Cup.
However, while the third-round draw delivered an Old Trafford rematch with Brighton, United's Champions League schedule opened up another avenue.
It is conceivable Azerbaijan champions Sabah FK could be the least difficult home game Carrick's side have this season.
United were 3-0 up at half-time and Carrick used all five substitutes by 72 minutes.
But Gabriel wasn't among them. As with Max Dowman at Arsenal last season, Uefa's registration rules meant as he was only 15, Gabriel could only feature if he was named on United's A list of players.
It is not entirely clear why it didn't happen. United did submit a maximum 25-man squad to Uefa, but among them was midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who will not play until after the registration window opens again in January because of his knee injury. Thompson was also in.
Was it an oversight? Did United think it would be better for Thompson to be included given Gabriel can be registered on the B list next month when he is 16?
Either way, the chance of a debut in that game and a place in United's history books as the club's youngest player - a status currently held by goalkeeper David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he played for the first time in 1956 - was lost.
Brighton was the next opportunity. United sources are adamant it was going to happen. Now it will not.
