JJ Gabriel, Manchester United’s highly rated 15-year-old academy forward, has asked the club to cancel his registration in a shock move first reported by The Telegraph. The Premier League Under-18 Player of the Year had been expected to feature in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Brighton before the development emerged. United chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are said to be directly involved in talks with Gabriel’s family.
Manchester United have been caught off guard by a request from one of their most exciting academy prospects, after 15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel asked the club to cancel his registration — a move that could pave the way for him to leave Old Trafford as a free agent.
A Shock Request
According to The Telegraph, Gabriel has formally requested that his registration with United be terminated. Bounce Feed understands the club was genuinely surprised by the request but believes the situation can still be resolved.
The timing has added to the surprise. Michael Carrick had been expected to name Gabriel in his squad for Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Brighton before news of the registration request emerged. It’s understood Gabriel did not train with Carrick’s squad toward the end of last week amid what sources describe as issues in the relationship between the player’s family and the club. The precise nature of those issues has not been publicly detailed.
United have not given up on resolving the situation, given that Gabriel remains under contract with the club through the end of the season. The involvement of chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox in direct talks with Gabriel’s family underlines how seriously United are treating the matter. Sources at the club say they remain unsure exactly what led to the situation developing as it has.
What Happens Next
Gabriel does not turn 16 until October 6, the point at which he would become eligible to sign a scholarship agreement with a club; a professional contract cannot be offered until he turns 17. Because of his age, United cannot currently offer him a new deal to convince him to stay — but they do have the option to challenge his termination request under Premier League rules.
Those rules state that a young player’s registration can only be cancelled if the club, the player, and the player’s parent or carer all agree. If the parties can’t reach agreement, any of them can ask the Premier League to issue a binding decision on the termination request.
Gabriel has sent formal notice that he wants his registration cancelled with immediate effect, which United are now in a position to formally challenge if talks with his family don’t resolve the situation.
A Rare Talent
Gabriel’s rapid rise has made him one of the most talked-about prospects in English academy football. Despite being just 14 for most of last season, he was named the Premier League’s Under-18 Player of the Year, in addition to winning United’s own Under-18 Player of the Year award. He scored 20 goals in just 21 league appearances and played a key role in helping United reach the FA Youth Cup final.
He is also the youngest-ever recipient of United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. Born in London, Gabriel scored twice on his debut for United’s Under-18 side at just 14 years old, and was an integral part of the side that reached both the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Under-18 finals last season.
This season, Gabriel moved into United’s Premier League 2 squad, scoring sensational goals in his first two matches for the age group. He made his senior debut for United in a pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm last month, and scored a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut last week in a match against Sabah — becoming United’s youngest-ever scorer in that competition.
Interest From Europe’s Elite
Gabriel’s talent has not gone unnoticed beyond Manchester. Barcelona have been strongly linked with a move for the teenager, while Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich have also been credited with interest in the young forward. Manchester City reportedly made an approach to sign Gabriel across the city last year, without success.
