JJ Gabriel wants out of Manchester United, Real Madrid wait | OneFootball

JJ Gabriel has become one of the great gems of European football, but his future at Manchester United is up in the air. At just 15 years old, the forward has attracted interest from clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG, while his camp is said to have already requested his departure from Old Trafford.

The case gathered momentum after The Telegraph revealed that Gabriel asked for his registration to be terminated immediately. His camp believes the attacker is ready to compete with the first team, a stance that contrasts with the view of coach Michael Carrick, who still feels he needs to develop greater physical strength before regularly facing elite football.

The tension emerged just a few days after a historic performance from the young striker.

The ‘Kid Messi’ keeps making history

Gabriel scored a hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League, becoming the youngest player to score a treble in the competition’s history.

His precocious talent had already drawn attention during pre-season, when he had the chance to make his first-team debut for Manchester United in a friendly against Atlético de Madrid.

His performances have earned him the nickname ‘Kid Messi’ and have led several of Europe’s top clubs to monitor his development.

Among them is Real Madrid, which remains alert to the situation alongside Barcelona and PSG.

The regulations complicate his departure

Although there is interest from Europe’s biggest clubs, taking Gabriel away from Manchester United would not be easy.

The English club has the player officially registered for the entire season and, for now, still cannot sign him to a youth development contract. Gabriel will have to wait until October 6, when he turns 16, to be able to sign a scholarship agreement with United.

In addition, there is a major barrier in the international regulations.

FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players impose restrictions on international transfers involving footballers under the age of 18. There are exceptions for certain moves within the European Union and the European Economic Area from the age of 16, but the United Kingdom fell outside that framework after Brexit.

Therefore, a possible move for Gabriel to Spain would not be automatic and would depend on one of the exceptions provided for by FIFA being met.

A career marked by precocious talent

Gabriel already came through the youth academies of Chelsea, Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers and West Ham before arriving at Manchester United.

His career has been closely overseen by his father, Joe O’Cearuill, a former Irish footballer who made two appearances for his national team in 2007 and later became involved in his son’s sporting development.

Now, the striker’s future is once again at the center of attention. Manchester United are trying to keep one of their biggest prospects, while Real Madrid, Barcelona and other European giants remain alert to any movement.

The case even recalls that of Paul Pogba, who left United’s academy in 2012 after feeling he was not getting enough opportunities with the first team. However, Gabriel’s situation is even more complex because of his age and the restrictions currently imposed by international regulations.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.