JJ Gabriel’s next destination revealed

JJ Gabriel was meant to be one of the future stars of Manchester United Football Club.

Throughout last season, the youngster took academy football by storm despite playing well above his age group.

Gabriel was named the inaugural U18 Premier League Player of the Season despite only being 15 years of age.

So highly rated was he that many expected this season to be the campaign in which he took his first steps into senior football and it’s been widely reported that the club were planning to give him his first-team debut in the EFL Cup game against Brighton & Hove Albion.

That all changed when it emerged that JJ Gabriel had asked to leave Manchester United.

While there were subsequent reports that the club were looking to salvage the situation, the prospect of Gabriel remaining at Old Trafford now appears increasingly unlikely.

And his potential next destination is beginning to become clearer.

AS report that JJ Gabriel’s future is expected to be in Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both battling to sign the Manchester United youngster.

Real Madrid are now carefully studying exactly what would be required to complete a deal for the highly-rated 15-year-old.
And that’s where the situation becomes slightly more complicated.

FIFA regulations ordinarily prevent the international transfer of players under the age of 18, with certain exceptions – including transfers involving players aged between 16 and 18 within the European Union or European Economic Area.

Brexit therefore creates an obstacle to JJ Gabriel simply leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid or Barcelona when he turns 16.

However, Gabriel’s family background could potentially provide a route around that problem. AS reports that the youngster is eligible for Irish nationality, which would give him EU citizenship and could allow him to move to Spain once he turns 16 on October 6.

That appears to be one of the reasons Real Madrid are studying the operation so carefully before making their move.

AS confirm that Barcelona are still firmly in the running to sign JJ Gabriel, with the player seen in Barcelona just a couple of days ago, but Real Madrid are now exploring what it would take to bring one of Manchester United’s brightest academy prospects to the Bernabeu.

Manchester United haven’t yet completely lost Gabriel, but with the youngster having asked to leave and some of Europe’s biggest clubs now circling, it only seems a matter of time before he’s officially left the club.

If the move to Spain materialises, a player who looked destined to make his senior breakthrough at Manchester United could instead take his first steps in senior league football in LaLiga rather than the English Premier League.