15-year-old JJ Gabriel flies to Barcelona for talks after stunning Man Utd exit request

Manchester United academy prospect JJ Gabriel has travelled to Barcelona for transfer talks, according to reports, just days after stunning the club with a formal request to leave Old Trafford.

The 15-year-old had been on the verge of making history at United. The club had planned to include Gabriel in their squad for the Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday, a appearance that would have made him the youngest first-team player in the club’s history. That plan was shelved after his exit request emerged earlier in the week.

The Daily Mail reports that Barcelona are now set for talks over a potential deal for the teenager. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich are also said to be monitoring the situation, underlining the level of interest Gabriel has attracted despite his age.

Concern around the youngster had been building before the transfer request became public. Gabriel deleted all photographs from his Instagram profile last week, an unexplained move that drew attention from supporters and those inside the club. His desire to leave now appears to provide context for that behaviour.

Gabriel’s situation highlights the increasingly competitive market for elite teenage talent, with Europe’s biggest clubs willing to move quickly on promising academy players. Whether United can persuade him to stay — or whether a move to the Camp Nou or elsewhere materialises — remains to be seen as talks progress.