JJ Gabriel's Future in Doubt as Barcelona Move Looms
JJ Gabriel, one of Manchester United’s most highly rated young forwards, has travelled to Barcelona as a growing list of European giants battle to lure him away from Old Trafford.
The 15-year-old has informed United that he wants his registration cancelled with immediate effect, a move that has thrown his future at the club into serious doubt and alerted some of the biggest names on the continent.
Real Madrid have a strong interest in the London-born striker, while Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain and Barcelona are also keen on the teenager, whose situation has quickly become one of the most closely watched youth stories in Europe.
Gabriel is understood to have left the UK on Thursday, initially heading to France before making his way to Barcelona, where his presence will only fuel speculation over a potential move.
The contractual and regulatory picture is complicated. If United refuse to release his registration, Gabriel would be blocked from joining another English club until the end of the season. But a route out of that corner may lie in his family background.
If he secures a European Union passport through either his father – a former Republic of Ireland international – or his mother, who has Greek-Cypriot heritage, Gabriel would be free to join a club in the EU when he turns 16 on 6 October.
On the pitch, his trajectory has been rapid. Gabriel has not trained with United since hitting a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut on 10 September, an explosive introduction that underlined why Europe’s elite are circling. Tournament rules mean he cannot represent another club in this season’s competition, even if he moves.
Tension around his status has been building. Sources close to Gabriel were furious that United did not register him for their Champions League opener against Sabah FK, a match Michael Carrick’s side won 4-0. For them, it was a glaring omission for a player they believe is ready for the biggest youth stage.
Carrick faced fresh questions about the teenager on Friday as he previewed Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Fulham. The United manager chose his words carefully.
"He's a young boy, JJ, and I think it's important we don't play anything out here," he said. "With the exposure and scrutiny and everything, you got to be careful and be sensible and think of him as much as anything.
"The situation will work itself out, whatever way it's going to work itself out. Making sure he's OK is the important thing."
Gabriel had started the domestic campaign brightly, scoring in each of his first two Premier League 2 appearances for United. Yet he will play no part against Brentford at Leigh Sports Village on Friday.
A prodigious forward, a club under pressure, and Europe’s elite waiting for an opening. The next move in JJ Gabriel’s young career now looks set to be played out far from Manchester.
