“Whatever the outcome…”: Rio Ferdinand delivers blunt message to Man United over JJ Gabriel | OneFootball

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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has weighed in on the club’s troubling JJ Gabriel situation.

Gabriel saga

Earlier this month, Gabriel left United stunned when he made an official request to leave the club with immediate effect.

Gabriel, who has been at United since he was 11 years old, is widely considered the best and most promising talent currently in the youth ranks.

He made his Under-18s debut at just 14 and has trained with the first team on several occasions. He was tipped to make his senior debut during the Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, but that plan was scrapped after he indicated his desire to depart.

Spain is thought to be Gabriel’s most likely destination, with Barcelona and Real Madrid among his admirers. There is also interest from Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City.

United have not given up hope of convincing the 15-year-old to stay, but it is increasingly looking like a doomed effort.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand acknowledged Gabriel’s “crazy” talent but made it clear that United cannot be held to ransom by a youngster.

Ferdinand’s verdict

Ferdinand said, “First and foremost, what a talent this kid is. It’s crazy.”

“I don’t know where this kid’s ceiling is. I’ve seen him play, I’ve seen him train, I’ve listened to people who have coached him for a number of years and there’s no doubt this kid is going to the top. I think we need to understand the reasons why he wants to leave the club. It’s not a 15-year-old making this call on his own, his family may have their reasons why.”

“Are they being impatient, are they thinking he should have got minutes already, were they promised stuff and now they’re disgruntled?”

The six-time Premier League winner added, “I remember watching him in training and he was doing shooting drills with Bruno Fernandes. That’s the PFA Player of the Year and one of the best midfielders in the world.”

“At 15-years-old that would have been enough for me. But maybe he’s got aspirations and wants to be playing already.”

“But Manchester United can’t be seen to be bullied by a 15-year-old, no matter how good he is. So whatever the outcome, Manchester United have to remain strong in this. There will be other kids using this as a reference point so you can’t be seen to be weak as a football club. But, I reiterate, I don’t know the full facts and I would love to.”

United are next in action on 10 October when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.