Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel has travelled to Barcelona as some of Europe’s biggest clubs continue to compete for the signature of the 15-year-old forward.
Gabriel has told United he wants to cancel his registration with immediate effect. It is understood he left the UK on Thursday and went to France, before arriving in Barcelona.
Real Madrid hold a firm interest in the teenager, while Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are also known to be keen.
The state of Gabriel’s registration is central to what happens next. If United hold on to the Londoner’s registration, it would stop him moving to another English club until the end of the season. Should he obtain a European Union passport, however — either through his father, a former Republic of Ireland international, or his mother, who has Greek-Cypriot heritage — he could join a club in the EU when he turns 16 on 6 October.
Gabriel has not trained at United since scoring a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut on 10 September. Tournament rules prevent him from playing for a side other than United in this season’s competition. Sources close to the player were furious that the club did not register him for their Champions League opener with Sabah FK, which Michael Carrick’s side won 4-0.
The United manager was asked about Gabriel again on Friday, at his news conference to preview Sunday’s Premier League match against Fulham.
“He’s a young boy, JJ, and I think it’s important we don’t play anything out here,” Carrick said. “With the exposure and scrutiny and everything, you got to be careful and be sensible and think of him as much as anything. The situation will work itself out, whatever way it’s going to work itself out. Making sure he’s OK is the important thing.”
On the pitch, Gabriel scored in his first two Premier League 2 outings for United this season, but he was not involved against Brentford at Leigh Sports Village on Friday.