Manchester United academy prospect JJ Gabriel has told the club he wants to leave with immediate effect and could become a free agent
JJ Gabriel
JJ Gabriel wishes to leave Man United
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JJ Gabriel could soon trigger a bidding war after informing Manchester United that he wants to leave the club immediately. The 15‑year‑old is widely regarded as one of the most gifted young players in world football.
He had been due to make his first‑team debut in United's Carabao Cup tie against Brighton on Wednesday, but the escalating situation has cast major doubt over that plan. Gabriel has now asked United to cancel his registration in a shock move that could make him a free agent.
United, who have had him in their system since he was 11, have yet to accept the request. Under current regulations, the 15-year-old remains registered with United until the end of the season.
Premier League rules surrounding players under 17 prevent them from signing professional contracts, and players must also be 16 before they can sign scholarship agreements. Gabriel does not turn 16 until next month.
Should all parties reach an agreement, registrations can be cancelled. The rules state: "If the parties don't agree, then any person involved can also ask the Premier League to provide a binding decision on a termination request."
Should the forward's registration with United be terminated, he would be free to move to another club. Manchester City previously attempted to prise him away from their city rivals and could well revive their interest if the opportunity presents itself.
Several young players have switched between the two Manchester clubs in recent seasons. Most notably, David Eze and Karim Cassim have both made the move to Manchester United from City.
Barcelona and Real Madrid have also been credited with an interest in the youngster and are expected to monitor developments closely. Liverpool could equally look to capitalise on the situation.
Michael Carrick
Gabriel wants to leave despite being praised by Manchester United manager Michael Carrick(Image: Getty Images)
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The Reds have moved decisively to secure some of the nation's most thrilling young talent in recent years, among them Trey Nyoni, who arrived from Leicester City in 2023, and Rio Ngumoha, who put pen to paper at Anfield from Chelsea a year later.
TalkSPORT reports that Gabriel has attracted attention from two Premier League clubs, alongside sides in La Liga and Germany. Bundesliga interest also raises the prospect of a move to either Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich.
The former have a strong track record of nurturing English talent through their academy pathway. Both Jadon Sancho and Jamie Gittens flourished at the club before returning to the Premier League.
One club conspicuously absent from the running is Chelsea. The Blues were slapped with a nine-month academy transfer ban back in March, preventing them from recruiting any youth players.
The club received the ban and a £10 million fine from an independent appeal board after admitting to breaches of Football Association agent regulations. The club self-reported the violations in May 2022, during the course of Roman Abramovich's sale of the club.