Gabriel turns 16 on Tuesday, opening a 48-hour window for United exit

Manchester United are bracing for a pivotal 48 hours as JJ Gabriel prepares to turn 16 on Tuesday — the birthday that would legally allow the academy prospect to join a club within the European Union, subject to FIFA approval.

Gabriel’s camp submitted a request to leave United last month, catching club staff off guard. United chiefs were reportedly unsure of the reasons behind the move and have since attempted to find a resolution that keeps the youngster at the club. Despite those efforts, Gabriel has not trained at Carrington for over a fortnight.

In the interim, Gabriel has remained in Castelldefels, Barcelona, where he has been training individually with a private coach. He occasionally brings a private coach from Manchester to join him, and his family have been regular visitors to the city.

Talks have taken place with both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Madrid have worked to position themselves as a destination for Gabriel but are acutely aware of the sensitivity required when pursuing a player under 18, given FIFA’s strict regulations governing the international transfer of minors.

Barcelona sporting director Deco publicly denied the club’s involvement last month, stating: “There’s nothing to say about this boy. We are not interested in any player in his situation. To speak about young, teenage players, it is not our business.” However, Gabriel has been on Barcelona’s radar for several years, and the club are understood to be interested despite Deco’s public denial.

While Gabriel’s camp would still need to satisfy certain regulatory requirements to complete a move, the belief is that they would not have formally requested a departure unless they were confident of navigating the necessary red tape. United, for their part, remain hopeful of keeping him.