Barcelona are ramping up their efforts to poach Manchester United teenage sensation JJ Gabriel. The 15-year-old, who has netted 10 goals in 10 matches for the Under-18s this season, is one of the most highly-rated talents in the Red Devils' academy.
Gabriel, an England U16s international, made headlines with a hat-trick in the 7-0 drubbing of Liverpool this weekend. His contributions have propelled United to third place in the U18s Premier League table, with six victories and two draws from their 11 games.
However, The Sun reports that Barcelona are keen to lure Gabriel away from United and integrate him into their renowned La Masia youth system. It's suggested that United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, played a crucial role in persuading Gabriel to stay at the club this season and for the next campaign.
Insiders at the Red Devils believe that Wilcox's involvement demonstrated to Gabriel's family how highly they value the attacking midfielder, and they're confident he could have a bright future at Old Trafford. There's optimism that the young star, born in 2010, will remain at United for the long term, despite interest from Barcelona, as per the Manchester Evening News.
Last week, it was reported that United's head coach, Ruben Amorim, held a separate meeting with Gabriel and his representatives. This followed photos of the teenage sensation training with the first-team squad.
Gabriel was promoted to train with the senior players last Thursday as the Under-21s had a behind-closed-doors match on Friday and faced Anderlecht in the Premier League International Cup on Tuesday night.
In an Instagram update from October, Gabriel revealed he had been training alongside the senior squad, prompting questions for Amorim about the youngster's involvement. "Like everyone, I know he is a really talented guy, and everyone paid attention on social media," the Portuguese manager explained at the time.
"You could see the U21s had a game and we had less players and tried to pick players for training that have talent. Not just for me to see for tomorrow, but also for them to feel what it means to be in the first-team, the difficulties playing against our defenders, the difficulty of our training, the pace.
"If we can use every training we have to show the kids what they need to do to be here, it's important, not just for JJ, but for everyone."
Gabriel represents the latest United talent that Barcelona are attempting to lure away, with the Spanish giants also pursuing Marcus Rashford on a permanent transfer next summer. The 28-year-old striker has hit the ground running during his loan stint at the Nou Camp, notching six goals and providing nine assists across 19 outings.
Despite being named among the substitutes for Tuesday's 3-1 triumph over Atletico Madrid, Rashford proved decisive after coming on in the second half, helping secure vital points for his temporary employers. Following the match, Rashford took to social media to acknowledge the supporters.
"Important win and great team performance," Rashford shared on Instagram. Barcelona have the opportunity to make his transfer permanent at the end of the season for a fee of £26million.
Rashford had the potential to join Aston Villa this summer - following an impressive loan spell in the second half of the 2024/25 season - but Villa decided not to take up their £40m option.
He will get the chance to increase his goal and assist count for Barcelona when they face Real Betis in La Liga this weekend. This will be the first time Rashford competes against his former United team-mate Antony since both players chose to leave the Red Devils on loan in January.