JJ Gabriel's impending move to Real Madrid brings back memories of a similar signing that went wrong
JJ Gabriel
JJ Gabriel is close to joining Real Madrid(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Real Madrid have been backed not to repeat the mistake they made with Martin Odegaard as they close in on JJ Gabriel. The Manchester United youngster is on the verge of joining the Spanish giants after his bombshell request to leave Old Trafford.
Gabriel has been absent from the club since asking to have his registration cancelled. While United refused his request, Gabriel has obtained a European Union passport, paving the way for him to join a club outside England.
Real are in pole position to sign the youngster, who also attracted interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich. If completed, the signing would echo Odegaard's move to the Bernabeu as a 15-year-old.
All concerned will hope it pans out better than that, given that he made just 11 first-team appearances for Real amid various loan spells before eventually joining Arsenal in 2021.
Odegaard wasn't wanted by then-manager Carlo Ancelotti, who branded the signing a "PR exercise" by club president Florentino Perez. He was also given little game time by Zinedine Zidane.
Real's handling of Odegaard was controversial as he was given a lucrative first-team contract, only to be made to train with the club's B team. Spanish journalist Guillem Balague believes Los Blancos will have learned lessons from that episode as they prepare to welcome Gabriel.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Balague said: "The first thing is, what an experience for him to go abroad, learn another language, be in another football culture.
"Secondly, I think 16-year-olds are better prepared than ever to be able to do that in terms of intelligence and adaptation. And thirdly, they hope not to do the Odegaard thing of giving him a first-team contract but training with the B side.
Real Madrid's Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard warm up before the Spanish League 2014/15 match between Real Madrid and Almeria, at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
Martin Odegaard's move to Real was a complete disaster(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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"The B-side players were looking at Odegaard and saying, 'I'm not going to pass to the ball this guy, at the weekend he isn't going to play with us.' I hope they get that right but it's a brilliant signing for Real Madrid."
United still hold Gabriel's registration, despite the player not returning to Old Trafford or Carrington since walking out after netting a hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League in September. The club's subsequent attempts to reach his family over concerns for his welfare have been rebuffed.
JJ Gabriel.
United haven't heard anything from Gabriel or his family(Image: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Gabriel was set to become United's youngest-ever first-team player against Brighton in the Carabao Cup. But he was pulled out of the club three weeks before he turned 16, with his family unhappy with his progression plan.
They had demanded that Gabriel feature against Sabah in the Champions League as well as in the Carabao Cup, while also making a Premier League debut.