Jay Bothroyd defends JJ Gabriel's parents as 15-year-old pushes to leave Manchester United

Jay Bothroyd has defended the family of JJ Gabriel after the 15-year-old Manchester United academy prospect requested to leave the club, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich all linked with the youngster.

United have rejected Gabriel’s request to be de-registered, but the situation remains unresolved. Gabriel has already travelled to Barcelona for talks, and a FIFA loophole could allow him to sign for a European club after he turns 16 on 6 October — provided he holds an EU passport, which he does.

Speaking on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored show, pundit and former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan accused Gabriel’s parents of living vicariously through their son and criticised agents for potentially influencing the teenager’s decision. Bothroyd, a former Wolves and Cardiff striker who knows the family, firmly rejected that characterisation.

“I know his parents personally. I think we should shut all that down,” Bothroyd said. “At the end of the day, the parents just want the best for their son. It’s not that they’re saying, ‘We want him to play right now.’ It’s very much, ‘We just want him to go in the best possible direction.’ When you look at him, his body, they may think he’s better off going to Barcelona, Real Madrid.”

When Jordan argued that United’s coaches were better placed than parents or agents to guide the player’s development, Bothroyd disagreed. “I would say it’s the parents at the moment. He’s not like Wayne Rooney — he’s slight, he’s got a Neymar body. Physically, he’s not going to be throwing anyone to the floor. Maybe his family are saying it would be best for his development to come from abroad.”

The timing of Gabriel’s request added a further layer of drama. United had planned to include him in the squad for their Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton — a fixture that would have made him the club’s youngest-ever competitive senior appearance. Those plans were shelved after his de-registration request emerged.

Under current rules, Gabriel cannot join another Premier League club while his United registration, which runs until the summer, remains active. A move to a European club, however, is a realistic possibility once he reaches his 16th birthday, and the interest from some of the continent’s biggest clubs suggests that outcome is far from hypothetical.