Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in talks to sign 15-year-old JJ Gabriel as he edges closer to Man United exit

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are in advanced talks to sign Manchester United academy prodigy JJ Gabriel, with super agent Ali Barat emerging as the central figure in a saga that has left the club expecting the 15-year-old never to return.

Gabriel stunned United by formally requesting to be de-registered last week — a process that would have allowed him to leave Old Trafford as a free agent. The club rejected that request, but the teenager has not been seen at the training ground since scoring a hat-trick in United’s UEFA Youth League win against Sabah on September 10. Despite the impasse, Gabriel and his camp have already travelled to the continent for talks with both clubs.

Barat, whose Epic Sports agency is the frontrunner to formally represent Gabriel once the player turns 16 on October 6, has been able to bring Real Madrid and Bayern to the table alongside Barcelona, a club that has courted Gabriel for at least four years. United were aware of Barcelona’s longstanding interest, and the teenager has previously met both Neymar and Lamine Yamal through those connections.

A FIFA loophole could allow a move to proceed on Gabriel’s 16th birthday. Because he qualifies for an EU passport — his father represented the Republic of Ireland and his mother is Cypriot — FIFA could grant permission for an international transfer at that point, though there is uncertainty over whether the required documentation is currently in place.

Should a deal be agreed, FIFA must sanction the move and United would be entitled only to a six-figure compensation fee for a player the club has invested heavily in developing. The receiving club would also need to satisfy FIFA’s regulations around education, demonstrating it can provide academic or vocational training alongside football development. Gabriel is currently homeschooled, which adds a further layer of complexity to any potential agreement.

There has been surprise within United at the involvement of one of football’s most prominent agents around a player who is not yet old enough to be formally represented. Under FIFA rules, a player cannot sign with an agent until they are eligible to sign scholarship terms at 16.