Manchester United's JJ Gabriel next to the club badge
Manchester United's JJ Gabriel is pushing to leave Old Trafford
A fresh report claims a key deadline has now emerged in the Manchester United, JJ Gabriel saga, with the Red Devils seemingly running out of time to secure the teenager’s future.
The highly-rated 15-year-old has been in the headlines over the past week, after it was revealed that he had told Old Trafford chiefs that he wanted an immediate exit from the club.
Gabriel is widely regarded as one of the top young talents in European football and recently scored a hat-trick for Man Utd in the UEFA Youth League against Sabah.
However, the teenager’s representatives have indicated that promises of senior involvement have been broken, which is why they want Gabriel to quit the club.
Towards the end of last week, it was claimed that Gabriel was travelling around Europe to hold discussions with several clubs, including the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Now, a report in Spain claims Gabriel, who also has interest from Bayern Munich and PSG, has a ‘first major agreement’ in place, with a ‘special fondness’ for Barcelona well documented.
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Clock ticking for Man Utd in JJ Gabriel saga
The Daily Mail, meanwhile, reports that Gabriel has ‘already held talks’ with Barcelona and Real Madrid, while United have a ‘key deadline’ of only ‘two weeks to convince Gabriel that his future lies at Old Trafford as the teenage star tries to force a move to a European rival’.
Gabriel turns 16 on October 6, at which point ‘he can be legally represented by an agent and join a foreign club using his Irish passport’.
It’s also being reported that Gabriel wants Man Utd to ‘rip up his registration’ so he can leave now, and he could launch an ‘appeal’ if the club refuse that request.
Indeed, the report adds that United still ‘hope the issue can be resolved’ and they can ‘persuade Gabriel and his family that they are the right club for him’.
It’s also claimed that the ‘Old Trafford hierarchy are refusing to bow to Gabriel’s demand to rip up his registration and leave as a free agent’ – a move that ‘could earn the club just £300,000 in compensation for a player who might soon be worth millions’.
Finally, it’s reported that if United ‘insist on keeping him until the end of the season’, the 15-year-old ‘could launch an appeal to the Premier League or even FIFA.’