Manchester United could be sleepwalking into a major crisis as a result of wonderkid JJ Gabriel.
Manchester United U21 v Leicester City U21: U21 Premier League
JJ Gabriel is being tipped to leave Man Utd (Image: Getty)
Manchester United’s season has got off to a typically rocky start, both on and off the pitch. After plenty of promise in the build-up, the Red Devils find themselves with just four points from a possible 12, and a mini-crisis involving teenage sensation JJ Gabriel starting to bubble over.
The 15-year-old is considered one of the brightest talents in world football, but it’s being reported that Gabriel wants out of United. Having scored a hat-trick in his UEFA Youth League debut last week, Gabriel was expected to feature for the first team against Brighton during their midweek Carabao Cup fixture.
In doing so, he would’ve become the youngest-ever player for United’s senior side, but it looks as if that prospect is now dead in the water. Gabriel refused to train this week and is already being linked with a plethora of top European clubs.
And while Barcelona and Real Madrid are said to be in the mix, the worst-case scenario for United has already been touted. That’s because, according to insiders at the club, Gabriel is being monitored by rivals Manchester City, with the Etihad Stadium a genuine destination for the prodigy.
As per The Sun, Gabriel’s camp has asked to de-register the player from his current contract, which runs until the end of the season. But it wouldn’t be the first time City have raided United’s academy, or vice versa.
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Manchester United U21 v Ipswich Town U21: Premier League 2
JJ Gabriel is highly thought of at Man Utd (Image: Getty)
Darren Fletcher’s twin sons, Jack and Tyler, moved to Old Trafford in 2023, while United also signed David Eze and Karim Cassim from City’s academy in the summer. Meanwhile, Harrison Parker moved from United to City, with what was described as a ‘revenge transfer’.
On the pitch, Carrick can’t afford any more distractions ahead of the third-round Carabao Cup clash. Speaking on the back of Sunday’s loss, Carrick remarked: "Sunday's Manchester derby was extremely frustrating for a number of reasons, but now we have to move on quickly and get back to winning ways.
"The fixtures are coming thick and fast ahead of the international break next week; we have a squad full of talent with everybody pushing to play. As a group of coaches, players and staff, we want to play as many games as we possibly can this season, so we need to progress through matches like this one and make sure we keep competing on every front.”