Youth star JJ Gabriel, 15, on brink of leaving Man Utd

What the report says

BBC Sport Football reports that highly rated Manchester United forward JJ Gabriel, who is 15, is close to leaving the club. The story says the teenager, who only turned 15 during the current season, has already collected major youth recognition at United, including the Premier League Under-18 player of the year award and the club’s Under-18 player of the year award last season. He has also featured in senior and youth competitions this summer and autumn, including a pre-season appearance against Atletico Madrid and a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut.

According to the report, the exact reason for the breakdown has not been made public, but Gabriel did not train with the first-team group at the end of last week. BBC Sport says there are believed to be issues in the relationship between the player’s family and the club. Manchester United have not abandoned hopes of resolving the situation, and the article notes that his contract runs until the end of the season.

The report adds that Gabriel has submitted formal notice seeking to cancel his registration immediately, which United may contest. He will not turn 16 until 6 October, when he would be eligible to sign a scholarship agreement. The case matters because Gabriel has been viewed as one of United’s most promising academy talents and had been expected to make his competitive senior debut soon.