Man United must keep JJ Gabriel as Real Madrid and Barcelona watch

Manchester United have been hit by a major shock as 15‑year‑old wonderkid JJ Gabriel has formally asked to cancel his registration. The Red Devils now face pressure from Real Madrid, Barcelona and several Premier League clubs that have all been linked with the teenager.

Youth brilliance and sudden departure

Gabriel burst onto the scene last week by scoring a hat‑trick on his UEFA Youth League debut for United’s U19 side. The performance cemented his reputation as a generational talent, a label recently confirmed by Ryan Giggs in a Getty report.

Only days later the prodigy sent a notice to become a free agent, deleting all United references from his Instagram and missing a training session. The move has left the board at Old Trafford baffled.

Interest from across Europe and England

Premier League rivals Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all reported to be monitoring the situation, despite Chelsea serving a nine‑month academy transfer ban with three months remaining.

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Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have also made approaches, with Bayern Munich mentioned as another possible destination. A move to an El Clasico club is seen as a realistic option for the youngster.

United cannot de‑register Gabriel without the agreement of the player and his guardian, and his contract runs until next summer. Michael Carrick had planned to include him in the squad for the League Cup tie against Brighton.

Gabriel’s record is already impressive: he became the youngest player to wear the MU shirt in a friendly against Atlético Madrid in Stockholm, a 2‑1 win, and he has already netted 20 goals for the club’s U18 side. He also won the Academy Player of the Year award as the youngest ever recipient.

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He has represented England at under‑15 and under‑16 levels, underscoring his status as a top‑flight prospect. Alex Crook warned that losing him would be a major blow to United’s tradition of promoting home‑grown talent.