Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
One of the biggest stories to emerge in football this week was the report that JJ Gabriel wants to leave Manchester United. The 15-year-old is seen as one of the game's biggest talents, and many clubs are ready to act if he does leave.
As per GIVEMESPORT sources, the teenager has requested that his registration in the squad be cancelled. Premier League sides hold an interest in the player, while Real Madrid and Barcelona have been pitching to Gabriel for several months.
Amid it all, former Man Utd academy star Alejandro Garnacho has made a very interesting social media post.
JJ Gabriel
JJ Gabriel
Alejandro Garnacho Reacts to JJ Gabriel News
JJ Gabriel
Garnacho is now at Aston Villa, joining from Chelsea in the summer, but started out in England at Carrington. The Argentine made his debut aged 17, but even before then was earning praise from interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
That said, the former Man Utd coach did warn that the youngster should 'keep his feet on the ground.' Many would suggest that Garnacho failed to do this, with the player falling out of favour at Old Trafford, and then struggling at Stamford Bridge before being loaned to Villa in 2026 with an obligation to buy if certain clauses are met.
With Gabriel now another talented prospect with a future that could lie elsewhere, Garnacho has taken to social media to drop a hint about his thoughts on the topic. On his official TikTok account, the winger reposted this video:
The post showed screenshots of all the stories covering Gabriel's request to leave Man Utd, with a text overlay which asked:
It then showed several highlights of Garnacho delivering some exciting moments for the Red Devils – including his stunning bicycle kick vs Everton – before showing him in a Chelsea shirt, struggling against his older club. The caption of the post read: "Hope he doesn't end up like Garna." with a snake and teary face emoji.
It's unclear why Garnacho would repost a video which appears to suggest Gabriel's career will go downhill if he leaves Man Utd, using his own failings as an example.
JJ Gabriel's Entourage Are Unhappy
Image credit: Action Images/Andrew Boyers
GIVEMESPORT sources understand that Gabriel was in line to feature in the League Cup squad against Brighton on Wednesday night, which could have seen him make his competitive debut for the senior team. That possibility has now been scrapped, with the 15-year-old refusing to train with the squad and asking to leave.
The club are said to believe there is time to rectify the situation, but are confused about what prompted the request. Reporting, however, suggests that his entourage are unhappy with a lack of first-team chances.
Although the teenager – whose real name is Joseph Junior Andreou O’Cearuill – was given eight minutes against Atletico Madrid in pre-season, he's not been involved with the senior squad on game-days this season. His absences have left the player's entourage feeling like they are getting mixed messages from the club.
There was supposed frustration when he didn't feature in the 4-0 Champions League win over Azerbaijani side Sabah last week at Old Trafford. Things weren't helped as Michael Carrick handed competition debuts to 19-year-olds Harry Amass and Shea Lacey that night.