Gabriel tells Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern and PSG his preference as Man Utd seek resolution

Manchester United teenager JJ Gabriel has reportedly narrowed his preferred destination to Spain after requesting to leave the club, with Real Madrid and Barcelona understood to hold the upper hand over Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in the race for his signature.

The 15-year-old made headlines earlier this month when he refused to take part in training ahead of United’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton, having expressed a desire to depart Old Trafford. Gabriel had been expected to feature in the matchday squad for that fixture, and would have become United’s youngest-ever player had he made his debut in the game.

According to Spanish publication Sport, Gabriel and his representatives have already travelled to Spain, touring facilities in both Madrid and Barcelona. The report claims the youngster has reached a ‘first major agreement’ with one of the four clubs on his shortlist, and that his preference for a move to Spain gives the two La Liga giants a significant edge.

Despite the speculation, Gabriel remains registered with United for the remainder of the season and cannot be de-registered. The club believe the situation can still be resolved. The teenager turns 16 on 6 October, at which point he will become eligible to sign a scholarship with United, though he would need to wait until his 17th birthday before signing a professional contract.

On the pitch, Gabriel has done little to dampen the excitement surrounding him. He scored a hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League earlier this month and has contributed two goals and two assists across just two appearances for United’s Under-21s in Premier League 2.

United head coach Michael Carrick, speaking on Friday, was careful to keep the focus on Gabriel’s welfare rather than the transfer speculation. “I’ll just repeat what I said earlier this week: he’s a young boy, it’s important we don’t put anything out there,” Carrick said, declining to elaborate further.

United are understood to remain hopeful of retaining the playmaker, but the reported visits to Spain and the emergence of a preliminary agreement suggest Gabriel’s camp are actively exploring their options ahead of what could become one of the most high-profile youth transfers in recent memory.