Keane blames Gabriel's representatives as 15-year-old pushes to quit Manchester United

Roy Keane has laid the blame for the JJ Gabriel saga squarely at the door of the teenager’s representatives, after it was reported that the 15-year-old has formally requested to cancel his registration at Manchester United and become a free agent.

The story broke earlier this week when The Telegraph reported that Gabriel had sent official notice of his wish to leave Old Trafford with immediate effect. United were said to be stunned by the development, particularly given that the youngster had been in line to feature in the Carabao Cup squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion — a appearance that would have made him the club’s youngest-ever player, surpassing David Gaskell, who debuted aged 16 years and 19 days in 1956.

Speaking on The Overlap, Keane responded to Gary Neville’s assertion that Gabriel had been let down by his own camp. “If his agents have leaked this, to be fair, that’s not on United is it?” Keane said.

Neville pressed the point further, raising concerns about the duty of care owed to a teenager suddenly thrust into the national spotlight. “A 15-year-old is the back page story of every newspaper in the country,” Neville said. “How are you looking after that kid? His representatives: why would you want that leaking out to the newspapers?”

Despite defending United’s handling of the situation, Keane was clear that the club cannot afford to treat the episode as a distraction. He stressed that manager Michael Carrick needs results, and that the squad is in no position to experiment. “Carrick’s under pressure,” Keane said. “United need wins, we need to get some momentum into the season, and if some 15-year-old is spitting his dummy out, we’ll deal with that.”

United believe the matter can still be resolved. Gabriel remains under contract and cannot be de-registered without the agreement of all parties. However, he will be eligible to negotiate a move abroad once he turns 16 next month, a process made easier by the fact he holds an Irish passport.