JJ Gabriel wants to leave United at 15, joining a long line of academy exits

Manchester United are facing the prospect of losing 15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel after the teenager formally notified the club he wants his registration cancelled. Gabriel reportedly refused to train on Tuesday, derailing United’s plans to include him in the squad for their Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton — a appearance that would have made him the youngest player ever to represent the club.

United believe the situation can still be resolved given the time remaining on Gabriel’s contract, but the development is an unwelcome distraction for a side already enduring a difficult start to the Premier League season.

Gabriel would not be the first highly-rated academy product to leave Old Trafford before making a senior mark. Paul Pogba departed for Juventus in 2012 after failing to agree a new deal, with Sir Alex Ferguson publicly criticising the midfielder for showing “a lack of respect.” Pogba eventually returned for a then-world-record £89 million in 2016, playing 226 games across two spells and winning the EFL Cup and Europa League, though his greatest honours came internationally — most notably France’s 2018 World Cup triumph.

Gerard Pique joined United’s academy from Barcelona in 2004 and made 23 appearances before returning to the Catalan club in 2008. At Barcelona he played 616 games and collected 30 major honours, becoming one of the defining defenders of his generation.

Danny Drinkwater spent his entire youth career at United without earning a senior appearance, leaving for Leicester City in 2012. He went on to win the Premier League title with the Foxes in 2016 before a £35 million move to Chelsea, though his career stalled significantly after that.

The pattern underlines a recurring challenge for United: identifying and retaining elite young talent through to the first team. With Gabriel still only 15, the club will be eager to find a resolution before a player they regard as a genuine prospect slips away entirely.