Manchester United are facing a genuine crisis over the future of academy sensation JJ Gabriel, with the 15-year-old informing the club he wants to cancel his registration with the club with immediate effect.
Gabriel was thought to be in line for an appearance against Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, however it emerged this week he hasn’t been training with Michael Carrick’s squad amid what’s understood to be a breakdown in the relationship between his family and the club.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox have become personally involved to try and de-escalate what is seen as a crisis for a club that stakes so much of its identity on developing its own.
Indeed, Gabriel was supposed to add his name to an extensive list of United academy products to feature in the first-team – he’d already been tipped to beat David Gaskell’s 70-year record as United’s youngest-ever player, and a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut last week only underlined why the club rate him as highly as they do.
|
JJ Gabriel career so far |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
|
U18 Premier League |
26 |
26 |
3 |
|
FA Youth Cup |
6 |
3 |
1 |
|
Premier League 2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
UEFA Youth League |
1 |
3 |
0 |
Sources at the club admit they’re not entirely sure what’s triggered things reaching this point. United do have the option to challenge the cancellation request rather than simply accept it, but with Gabriel registered until the end of the season regardless, there’s still a short window to find a resolution before this becomes irreversible.
Chelsea are the first Premier League club to be linked with a move for Gabriel – read more here!
Fabrizio Romano reveals Man Utd’s chances of keeping Gabriel
Fabrizio Romano has revealed on his YouTube channel that the Red Devils are actively in talks to restore the peace, and there is a chance – albeit less than 50 per cent – that Gabriel still ends up signing a new contract at Old Trafford.
“On the other side, there is Manchester United still trying to keep the player at the club. Still trying to make something happen,” he said.
“At the moment, if you ask me about probabilities, looks difficult for Man United, for sure less than 50 per cent that they can change the situation and keep the player. But I would not rule out anything, because the club message today is we will try, we are still talking, we are still trying to sort the situation.
“So on one side there is United, trying to reach an agreement with JJ, sort the situation, and keep one of the best talents in the world at the club. On the other side, JJ Gabriel wants to go, JJ Gabriel is considering different opportunities.”
|
Suitors |
The Situation |
Probability |
|---|---|---|
|
Real Madrid |
Long tracked as a potential Castilla addition, said to fit their youth philosophy |
Genuine threat |
|
Barcelona |
Monitoring as part of their search for “the next Lamine Yamal” |
Genuine threat |
|
Bayern Munich |
Bundesliga champions have called his representatives |
Serious interest |
|
Arsenal |
Interest previously labelled premature, now said to be reheating |
Rising |
|
Chelsea |
Spent time in their academy as a boy, no concrete move yet |
Background interest |
|
PSG |
Like Bayern have made contact to enquire about a move |
Speculative |
What happens next for Gabriel and United?
Gabriel doesn’t turn 16 until October 6, the date he’d become eligible to sign scholarship forms at United – or, if his registration has already been cancelled by then, at whoever else comes calling.
If it does go to a straight fight over his registration, United would be entitled to training compensation from FIFA’s scheme, but that figure would be nowhere near what a fee for a player of Gabriel’s profile should look like.
There’s an uncomfortable parallel being drawn already to Paul Pogba, who walked away from United as a teenager in 2012 rather than sign fresh terms – a decision that cost the club a club-record £89m to reverse four years later. Nobody at Old Trafford wants a repeat of that story playing out with the 15-year-old.