Manchester United have, through their history, been a breeding ground for developing young English football talent.
Unfortunately, one of their biggest young prospects of the last decade is likely on his way out before he can become an established member of the first team.
J.J. Gabriel, just 16 years old and considered one of the biggest young prospects in English football, is likely to leave the club’s youth system after a months-long standoff with the club’s hierarchy.
The Sporting News explains why he is leaving, what pushed him to find a new home, and where he is going after being wooed away from Old Trafford.
MORE: All about J.J. Gabriel as Man United star turns heads at just 16 years old
J.J. Gabriel reportedly nearing Real Madrid move
According to reports by The Athletic and ESPN, Man United wonderkid J.J. Gabriel is nearing a move to Real Madrid this coming January.
The Athletic states that while the move is “not yet finalized,” negotiations are “very advanced,” while ESPN says that Real Madrid are “edging closer” to sealing a move.
Madrid has been in pole position from the beginning, according to the reports, even as he trains in Barcelona with a personal trainer away from United entirely.
While United are facilitating the move away, ESPN reports that United believe that Gabriel held a meeting with at least one club last summer without their knowledge, and that they will pursue legal action if they believe that untoward approaches were made while he was under contract with the Premier League club.
Gabriel would reportedly not be immediately integrated into the Real Madrid first team, instead set to join their second team, Real Madrid Castilla, who play in the second tier of Spanish football. He would also play for the club’s UEFA Youth League side off the bat.
Because Gabriel is still just 16 years old and therefore not a professional player, United would only be entitled to training compensation as part of the move, which typically amounts to six figures.
Why is J.J. Gabriel leaving Man United?
It’s unclear at this point why J.J. Gabriel wants to leave Manchester United, but reports seem to suggest that the relationship between player and club has broken down.
A report by Matt Law of The Telegraph, published in mid-September when news of the breakdown went public, does not give an explicit reason for his desire to depart the club, but suggests that his push for more playing time has not been received positively by the club.
Gabriel has been linked to other big European clubs for months now, including Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, ever since the breakdown with Man United went public. It could simply be that Gabriel and his camp feel that his development has outgrown United’s level, and that he has the capability to rise to the level of another European giant.
Simon Stone of BBC Sport reported that there had been “issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United”, which meant he did not train with the senior squad in the latter part of last week.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are “directly involved” in conversations with Gabriel and his family, Stone says, “which underlines how seriously the club regard the situation.” As of mid-September, United had reportedly “not yet given up hope” of a resolution that would see the player stay, but it would appear that they are resigned to moving him elsewhere.
