Gary Neville reacts to JJ Gabriel Man Utd controversy as Michael Carrick reveals ‘conversations’ | OneFootball

Gary Neville has given his verdict on JJ Gabriel’s desire to leave Manchester United, with manager Michael Carrick also breaking his silence on the future of the youngster.

It emerged this week that Gabriel wants to leave Man Utd with immediate effect.

The 15-year-old attacking player has ‘sent formal notice’ to the Red Devils to cancel his registration with immediate effect so that he can become a free agent.

Although Gabriel, who can play as a striker, left-sided forward or attacking midfielder, does not have a new club lined up, a plethora of teams are keen on snapping him up.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid have also been credited with interest in Gabriel, who made his (unofficial) debut for Man Utd in pre-season when he played against Atletico Madrid in a friendly match in Stockholm.

Gabriel cannot be de-registered, but the teenage prodigy could negotiate a move abroad next month when he turns 16, as he holds an Irish passport.

Gary Neville on Man Utd teenager JJ Gabriel

Former Man Utd defender and Sky Sports pundit Neville has given his verdict on Gabriel’s situation, and he is not happy with the way that his father and agent, Joe O’Cearuill, has pushed the teenager into the limelight.

Neville said on The Overlap: “But I just don’t see the logic from any representatives of a 15-year-old boy who think it’s a good idea to put his name in lights right now.

“You want to try and sort of douse the flames, don’t you?

“You don’t want to add fuel to a fire when you have got basically…”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright responded: “You want to keep him under cover.”

Neville continued: “Max Dowman, if you remember last year when he came on, you know, Sky probably asked for an interview at the end of the game.

“Arsenal said no.

“They got him straight back into the changing room.

“He’s back at school on the Monday morning.”

Michael Carrick comments on JJ Gabriel

Man Utd manager Carrick has broken his silence on the issue surrounding Gabriel.

After Man Utd’s 3-2 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday evening, Carrick revealed that he is part of the “conversations” at the club in an effort to keep Gabriel.

The Manchester Evening News quotes Carrick as saying about Gabriel: “I just think we’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation, you know.

“He’s a young boy, he’s 15, and for me, definitely, and from a club point of view, is looking after our younger players, their welfare, their well-being, their exposure, and I think we’ve got to be really, all of us, I think we’ve got to be really conscious of that, really, in this situation.”

When asked whether he gets involved with conversations over Gabriel’s future, or leaves it to club chiefs, Carrick said: “No, as a club for sure, we’re all involved in those conversations.

“I just think we’ve got to be very careful, you know, of that.”

The Man Utd manager further added: “It’s more about the welfare, the care and the attention of JJ as a child, really.

“He’s certainly a young man.

“The situation is what it is, but we have to be careful about the exposure on that one.”