JJ Gabriel set to leave Man United as Bayern, Barca and Real Madrid circle teenage star

JJ Gabriel is set to leave Manchester United by next summer at the latest, according to German newspaper Bild, with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain all queuing up for the teenage forward’s signature.

The report will come as a blow to supporters who had hoped Gabriel would become a central figure at Old Trafford. The youngster joined United in 2022 after spells at Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham, but a lack of realistic title prospects at the club is reportedly a significant factor in his decision to move on. A previous request to be de-registered at United was rebuffed, yet his departure now appears a matter of when rather than if.

Gabriel’s path to a move to one of Europe’s continental heavyweights is eased by his eligibility for an EU passport — his mother is Cypriot and his father, Joe, represented the Republic of Ireland. That matters because non-EU citizens are barred from representing clubs such as Barcelona or Bayern Munich in first-team football until their 18th birthday. Bild’s report adds that Gabriel and his representatives are currently favouring a move to Spain.

The news arrives at an uncomfortable moment for United manager Michael Carrick, whose side sit 12th in the Premier League after three games without a win. A 5-2 victory over Ipswich in August remains the club’s only top-flight win of the campaign, and they have kept just one clean sheet across seven outings in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney has added his voice to the growing list of former United players questioning Benjamin Sesko’s mentality following the striker’s recent injury troubles, though the full details of Rooney’s comments were not available at the time of publication.