Real Madrid Leads Race for Manchester United Prodigy JJ Gabriel
The 15-year-old forward has formally requested to leave Manchester United, with Spanish giants Real Madrid reportedly making the strongest bid for his signature.
Real Madrid is among several major European clubs vying to sign 15-year-old Manchester United academy player JJ Gabriel. The forward formally notified the club earlier this week of his intention to cancel his registration, though Manchester United can challenge this request. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich are also understood to have a firm interest in the player. Sources describe Real Madrid's pursuit as particularly strong, with the Spanish club aiming to integrate Gabriel into their reserve team, Real Madrid Castilla, immediately.
Castilla competes in the third tier of Spanish senior football. The team was previously coached by Alvaro Arbeloa, who later took over the senior Real Madrid side and has since moved to Fulham. Players like Thiago Pitarch, aged 18 at the start of last season, have featured for Castilla in senior competitions, including the Premier League International Cup, and made league appearances.
Sources close to Gabriel indicate a feeling of disappointment with Manchester United, citing unmet promises regarding his pathway to the first team. The club had reportedly anticipated Gabriel becoming their youngest-ever senior player by featuring in a recent EFL Cup match. The outcome of that match, a 3-2 loss after leading, has made the likelihood of such a debut debatable.
Manchester United officials state they have not given up hope of retaining Gabriel and are seeking to understand the reasons behind his desire to leave. The player is reportedly not currently training with the club. Head coach Michael Carrick emphasized the need for caution regarding Gabriel's age, stating, "He's a young boy. He's 15, and for me, definitely, and from a club point of view, looking after our younger players - their welfare, their well-being, their exposure - we've got to be really conscious of that in this situation." He had previously given the youngster his senior debut in a pre-season match.
However, sources close to Gabriel have refuted concerns about his age and physicality, pointing to other clubs like Arsenal, where Max Dowman debuted at 15 last season, as examples of teams willing to trust young talent. Chelsea is also believed to have significant interest.
Any immediate transfer away from Old Trafford is complicated by regulations on registering young players. Gabriel's current registration with Manchester United extends to the end of the season. A move would become simpler then, after he turns 16. However, due to his EU passport, it may be possible for him to join a European Union club upon reaching that age.