Man Utd youngster JJ Gabriel
Man Utd youngster JJ Gabriel
A report has revealed who Manchester United ‘fear’ JJ Gabriel is joining, and it couldn’t get much worse for the Red Devils.
Gabriel, 15, is widely regarded as a megastar-in-waiting and one of the hottest prospects Man Utd have produced in their entire history.
The ultra-talented teen is not your run-of-the-mill prospect, with some believing Man Utd have a player who could become one of the best players in football history in their hands.
However, TEAMtalk exclusively broke news back in August of Man Utd harbouring growing concerns over their long-term ability to retain the player.
That news was broken by our insider, Graeme Bailey, and over the past 36 hours, outlets far and wide have confirmed Gabriel and his camp have asked to leave the Red Devils.
Man Utd are refusing to give in and still believe the situation can be rectified. But for the time being, the signs point to Gabriel and United parting ways, which will spark a scramble for his signature the likes of which we’ve never seen before.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are both lurking with intent. A move to Spain would sting Man Utd, but it would at least ensure they very rarely come up against the player.
TEAMtalk understands Chelsea are desperate to land Gabriel and believe they have a genuine shot at doing so. Losing Gabriel to a major domestic rival would hurt, but at least he’d be down south from United’s perspective.
Yet according to the latest from The Sun, Man Utd now fear Gabriel might not travel far if leaving, and might not even leave the city.
Man Utd fear JJ Gabriel is joining Man City – report
The headline in their report read: ‘Man Utd fear JJ Gabriel is set for Man City transfer after bombshell contract termination request.’
In the piece, they doubled down on that claim, stating: ‘Manchester United fear that JJ Gabriel could move to neighbours City.’
Aside from leaving for Liverpool, losing Gabriel to bitter rivals Man City is the worst possible outcome for Man Utd.
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Man Utd had originally intended to select Gabriel in their matchday squad for Wednesday night’s League Cup clash with Brighton. However, the player’s exit request means he will no longer be considered for selection.
Among the reasons being cited as to why Gabriel wants out of United are a lack of first-team opportunities despite the player still being just 15 years of age. Clearly, he and his camp believe he’s ready for the big time right now.