Real Madrid is now in the race to sign JJ Gabriel, a young player from Manchester United's academy. Other big clubs in Europe are also interested in the talented 15-year-old.
According to BBC Sport on Thursday, Gabriel has told Manchester United that he wants to cancel his registration right now. The club can challenge this request if they choose.
Gabriel will turn 16 on October 6. He has caught the eye of several top clubs in Europe, like Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea.
But sources say Real Madrid is particularly keen to sign him. The Spanish club wants to bring him in quickly and place him with Real Madrid Castilla, their reserve team.
Castilla plays in Spain’s senior football system, unlike academy teams in England. They currently compete in the third tier of Spanish football.
People close to Gabriel feel disappointed with Manchester United. They say the club did not keep promises about his path to the first team.
Even so, Manchester United is not giving up on keeping the teenager. They are unsure why he wants to leave.
Right now, Gabriel is not training with United.
United had hoped Gabriel could become their youngest senior player by playing in their EFL Cup match against Brighton. Unfortunately, they lost the game 3-2 after leading 2-0.
Michael Carrick, the head coach at Manchester United, gave Gabriel his senior debut in a pre-season match against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm. He advised caution when talking about Gabriel’s situation.
"I just think we’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation," Carrick said after the Brighton match. "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."
People close to Gabriel have dismissed worries about his age and physical readiness. They mention Arsenal’s Max Dowman, who debuted at 15, as proof that clubs can trust young players to compete at the top level.
Real Madrid isn’t the only team watching Gabriel. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea are also very interested in him.
For now, moving away from Old Trafford could be tricky due to rules about young player registrations.
Manchester United says Gabriel’s registration lasts until the end of the season. This means it might be easier for him to leave once the season wraps up, by which time he will be 16.
But since Gabriel has an EU passport, he might be able to join a club within the European Union when he turns 16.
For now, his future is unclear. Manchester United is hoping to keep one of their promising academy talents while facing strong interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
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