JJ Gabriel has informed Manchester United of a desire to leave Old Trafford despite the best efforts of those involved with the club
JJ Gabriel during pre-season
Barring a U-turn, Manchester United look set to lose JJ Gabriel(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Manchester United were left stunned this week by the news JJ Gabriel wants to leave but they went to great lengths in an effort to keep him around. The 15-year-old now looks set to depart Old Trafford, though it remains to be seen whether he stays in England or heads overseas.
It has been claimed that United tried a number of different approaches as they sought to keep him around. Gabriel had looked set to make his senior debut against Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday but was left out of the squad after dropping that bombshell.
The Mail reports that Barcelona and Real Madrid are frontrunners for the teenager's signature. Gabriel is understood to have an EU passport, meaning he would be free to move clubs at the age of 16 - the age he will turn in October.
The same publication has pointed to some of the efforts made by the club to convince Gabriel his future should lie at Old Trafford. Here, we've got more of a rundown on the steps they took.
Alejandro Garnacho's telling post about JJ Gabriel suggests Man Utd have dodged a bullet
1. Record-breaking opportunity
United were ready to hand Gabriel his senior debut at the age of just 15, breaking a youngest player record which has stood for 70 years. That record belongs to David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he made his first United appearance in October 1956 and went on to win two league titles.
Now, as the Mail notes, the youngster might be given a back seat at Under-21 level. Gabriel has scored twice in two Premier League 2 outings but didn't train on Monday or Tuesday amid the latest developments.
2. Jason Wilcox and Matt Hargreaves intervened
This isn't the first time Gabriel has been linked with an exit. In the summer of 2025, director of football Jason Wilcox stepped in to convince the youngster to stick around.
Jason Wilcox in April 2024
Jason Wilcox has been credited with stopping Gabriel leaving even earlier(Image: Getty Images)
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Matt Hargreaves, United's head of negotiations, was also involved in the intervention. It is believed he and Wilcox made it clear the teenager had a path to the first team.
3. Let him on the 2026 pre-season tour
That message from Wilcox and Hargreaves was emphasised when Michael Carrick included Gabriel in his squad for this summer's pre-season games. It was there that he got his first taste of men's football, featuring in a friendly against Atletico Madrid.
However, those would be the only minutes he received under Carrick. He was also left out of United's 'A' list for the Champions League and is ineligible for the 'B' list, so was barred from featuring in Europe until the new year at the earlies.
4. Ruben Amorim watched footage of him
Carrick wasn't the first United boss to keep close tabs on the player. Ruben Amorim spent hours watching footage of him during United's pre-season tour to get a sense of what he was about.
Amorim left in January before having an opportunity to hand Gabriel a first-team opportunity. It is impossible to know whether things might be different had the Portuguese boss stuck around.
5. Dan Ashworth wanted to fast-track him
United's former sporting director Dan Ashworth was also an admirer of Gabriel. Indeed, the former Newcastle chief was keen on fast-tracking the wonderkid before leaving Old Trafford in late 2024.
Interestingly, it was during Ashworth's time at Newcastle that the Magpies made Lewis Miley the sixth-youngest player in their history. The midfielder made 27 senior appearances before his 18th birthday, though it is unclear how big a part the sporting director played in his rise.
6. Meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson
JJ Gabriel with Sir Alex Ferguson
Gabriel met Sir Alex Ferguson in December 2025(Image: https://www.instagram.com/jjnr10/?hl=en)
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Over the years, United have smoothed things over with young talents by allowing them to meet club legends. The approach has allowed the club to make the most of a storied history, where they remain the most decorated side in the Premier League era with 13 titles.
In December 2025, Gabriel met with iconic manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He spoke about the "honour" after being photographed with the two-time Champions League-winning boss.
7. Let him have a relaxed schedule
Gabriel's schedule at Carrington wasn't what you'd expect for just any 15-year-old. The Mail reports that he was allowed to take multiple breaks during the season, something not always afforded to academy stars.
The treatment appeared to suit him well, with 26 goals last season a remarkable return. However, after taking trips to Spain last season, he could now be set to move there permanently.
8. Christopher Vivell made him feel important
United recruitment chief Christopher Vivell is another who has played a part in the efforts to make Gabriel feel special. The former Chelsea technical director is said to have aimed to make the youngster a focal point.
If this was designed to show him the way forward, it appears not to have worked. Instead, a lack of minutes may have been a deciding factor despite all the efforts made elsewhere.
9. Heavy pre-season involvement
JJ Gabriel playing for Manchester United against Atletico Madrid
The teenager made his senior debut in a pre-season friendly(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
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United went on a number of pre-season trips over the summer, playing friendlies in several different countries. Gabriel was involved in all but one of those, but only got eight minutes on the pitch against Atleti.
A number of other academy stars featured more in pre-season, including some who have since left Old Trafford. They include fellow forward Chido Obi, who is spending the season on loan at Dutch side Willem II.
10. Carrick keeping close tabs
Michael Carrick has been on regular trips to Leigh Sports Village to watch Gabriel in action for United's age group teams. The manager was in the stands for a 5-0 win over Ipswich in August, where the youngster scored one goal and assisted two more.
Even so, Carrick urged patience when it came to a senior competitive debut. "We have to be a little bit careful on that one. He's a 15-year-old boy," he said. "It's more about the welfare, the care and the attention of JJ as a child really."
11. A regular in first-team training sessions
Carrick has invited Gabriel to train with the senior squad to give him a taste of what such a thing involves. Amorim did the same, saying: "If we can use every training we have to show the kids what they need to do to be here, it is important, not just for JJ but for everyone."
Arsenal prodigy Max Dowman trod a similar path before making his Premier League bow in August 2025. However, Gabriel's first taste of league football looks as though it will come away from Old Trafford.
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