JJ Gabriel hints at Real Madrid move

Manchester United’s academy has rarely produced a saga quite like the one currently unfolding with Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel.

The 15-year-old, better known simply as JJ Gabriel, has been with United since the age of 11, and his performances at academy level have drawn comparisons to both Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Barcelona have tracked his progress for years, largely due to the Irish passport that allows him to turn professional in the European Union at 16 rather than waiting until 18 like his English teammates.

That interest has never gone away, and it isn’t just Barcelona in the picture either, with two Premier League clubs alongside interest from Germany also credited with tracking his rise closely.

Gabriel’s own situation at United took a dramatic turn this week, formally requesting to cancel his registration and become a free agent with immediate effect.

JJ Gabriel hints at Real Madrid move

Manchester United’s want-away wonderkid has now fuelled speculation over his next move by following a host of Real Madrid players on social media.

His Instagram account shows him now following Real Madrid, their academy side and La Liga itself, alongside a lengthy list of first-team players.

Those include Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Thibaut Courtois, Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eder Militao, Denzel Dumfries, Yan Diomande, Dean Huijsen, Arda Guler and Endrick.

JJ Gabriel also follows Real legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, while deleting every previous post from his own page in what has been widely read as a clear signal of intent.

Real Madrid are understood to be keen on beating arch rivals Barcelona to his signature, exploiting a loophole that allows EU nationals aged 16 to 18 to sign for clubs abroad, a route United cannot currently match given they are unable to offer him professional terms until he turns 17 or scholarship terms until his 16th birthday next month.

His camp are said to have been unhappy after Gabriel was left out of Michael Carrick’s Champions League squad for the win over Sabah last week, despite scoring a hat-trick for United’s Under-18s against the same opposition in the UEFA Youth League.

He had been in contention to feature against Brighton in the Carabao Cup tonight before his exit request emerged, a chance now expected to be shelved.

Whether United can find a way to keep hold of their prized asset for a second time this year remains to be seen, though the growing sense at Old Trafford is that this saga may prove far harder to resolve than the last.