Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel has expressed his ambition to win the Ballon d'Or while strongly hinting at a move to Real Madrid in an interview with Spanish media. The 16-year-old sensation submitted a formal transfer request to Manchester United in September and is reportedly close to finalizing a move to the Spanish capital.
Gabriel, who now possesses a European Union passport through his mother's Cypriot heritage, has been training in Madrid. In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, he indicated a clear preference for Real Madrid over their rivals Barcelona when asked about his preferred LaLiga club. "Obviously Madrid," Gabriel stated, according to the report, which anticipates his transfer being finalized in January.
Gabriel shared his ultimate career goal, stating, "My dream is to win the Ballon d'Or." The young talent recently scored a hat-trick for Manchester United in the UEFA Youth League shortly before submitting his transfer request. While Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal were noted for narrowly missing out on the 2026 Ballon d'Or, awarded to England captain Harry Kane, the prominence of both LaLiga clubs in producing top players was highlighted.
Sources at Manchester United maintain there has been no direct club-to-club contact regarding Gabriel. It is understood that he is expected to play for Real Madrid's Castilla team, which competes in Spain's third division, in addition to participating in the Youth League.
Gabriel has set multiple records in United's youth teams, including becoming the youngest player to feature for the Under-18s. He also played and scored for the Under-21 side.
The Red Devils were reportedly unsettled in September when Gabriel and his representatives requested the termination of his academy contract, a request that was denied. Gabriel has not been with the club since. The decline of Manchester United since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson is cited as a primary reason for the family's pursuit of an exit, with the club seen as "far away" from top European clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, as well as domestic rivals Arsenal and Manchester City. Gabriel's father is reportedly a driving force behind the desire to fast-track the young player's career by moving him to learn from top clubs.