JJ Gabriel reaches 'first major agreement' to join Spanish club after Man United exit bid

Manchester United academy starlet JJ Gabriel has reportedly reached a ‘first major agreement’ to join a Spanish club, with Real Madrid and Barcelona understood to be the frontrunners, after the 15-year-old made his desire to leave Old Trafford known last week.

Gabriel and his representatives have already travelled to Spain, visiting both Madrid and Barcelona, according to a report from Sport. The teenager’s shortlist of potential destinations includes four clubs — Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain — but his preference is understood to be a move to Spain, handing the two La Liga giants a significant advantage in the race for his signature.

The situation at United escalated last Tuesday when Gabriel refused to take part in training ahead of what would have been his first-team debut in the Carabao Cup against Brighton. Had he featured against the Seagulls, he would have become United’s youngest-ever first-team player.

Despite the standoff, United remain registered as Gabriel’s club for the remainder of the season and cannot de-register him. The club believe the situation can still be resolved, though Gabriel’s representatives appear to be pressing ahead with plans for a departure.

The timing adds a further complication: Gabriel turns 16 on 6 October, at which point he would be eligible to sign a scholarship with United. He would then need to wait until his 17th birthday before he could put pen to paper on a professional contract.

On the pitch, Gabriel has been one of United’s most exciting young talents this season. He scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League against Sabah earlier this month and has contributed two goals and two assists across just two appearances for United’s Under-21s in Premier League 2.