JJ Gabriel is at the centre of a tug of war after requesting to be freed by Manchester United
Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel wants to leave the club.
Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel wants to leave Manchester United(Image: PA Wire)
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JJ Gabriel's parents have been defended amid accusations that they are not acting in their son's best interests following his request to quit Manchester United.
United have rejected the 15-year-old's plea but could still lose the youngster, who has travelled to Barcelona for talks over a potential move. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have also been linked with Gabriel.
Speaking on Piers Morgan's Football Uncensored show, pundit and former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan accused the player's parents of living vicariously through their son and slammed agents for potentially turning his head. However, that claim was dismissed by Jay Bothroyd, who knows Gabriel's parents.
The former Wolves and Cardiff striker said: "I know his parents personally. I think we should shut all that down. At the end of the day, the parents just want the best for their son.
"It's not that they're saying, 'We want him to play [for United] right now.' It's very much, 'We just want him to go in the best possible direction.' When you look at him, his body, they may think he's better off going to Barcelona, Real Madrid.
"At the end of the day, you can't talk about him in a negative way, you can't talk about the parents."
Jay Bothroyd
Jay Bothroyd has defended Gabriel's parents(Image: Football Uncensored)
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When Jordan said United and the club's coaches were best placed to offer guidance ahead of his parents and agents, Boothroyd disagreed, saying: "I would say it's the parents at the moment. And he hasn't grown into a man's body yet.
"He's not like Wayne Rooney [when he was a teenager], he's slight, he's got a Neymar body. Physically, he's not going to be throwing anyone to the floor. Maybe his family are saying it would be best for his development to come from abroad."
United have not accepted Gabriel’s request to be de-registered and have sought to persuade the youngster to stay, but there remains a risk that he could use a FIFA loophole to walk away when he turns 16 on October 6.
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Leigh Sports Village on August 24, 2026 in Leigh, England
While Gabriel's request has been rejected, he could still leave the club(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
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Gabriel's bombshell request came in a week United had planned to include him in the squad for the Carabao Cup loss to Brighton, which would have been his first involvement in the senior squad for a competitive fixture.
That would have given him the opportunity to become United's youngest-ever player, but the plans were scrapped and Gabriel has subsequently been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Gabriel would not be allowed to join another Premier League club if United do not cancel his registration, which runs until the summer, but as he qualifies for an EU passport, there is a precedent that would allow him to sign for a European club after his birthday.