It’s all a bit of a circus when it comes to Manchester United player JJ Gabriel, the 15-year-old making headlines for his desire to leave Old Trafford.
The teenager has every right to push for an exit if he wishes, but for someone so young, being thrust into the spotlight doesn’t exactly work in his favour.
Should he leave, the expectations and pressure on his next club could be through the roof and questions could be raised about the way his camp handles the situation.
Regardless, the reality is that the youngster is unlikely to feature in a United shirt again after a poor showing in the youth teams. How could it become like this?
Why does JJ Gabriel want to leave Manchester United?
United, a club that regularly raids rivals and poaches teenage talent, may just be reaping the consequences, but that doesn’t take away the sting of Gabriel’s imminent exit.
U18 PL top scorer | ||
|---|---|---|
player | club | Target |
T. Lamb | Manchester City | 25 |
JJ Gabriel | Manchester United | twenty three |
M. Mead | A. Vera | 20 |
J Sonny Lambie | liverpool | 16 |
C. children | chelsea | 15 |
A. Muslika | Tottenham | 15 |
H French | West Brom | 15 |
L. Hutchinson | Leicester | 15 |
C. Dunbar-McDonald | Manchester City | 15 |
The nimble-footed striker scored 23 goals in last season’s U18 Premier League and was the driving force behind the club’s run to the FA Youth Cup final.
The reward was first-team minutes in pre-season, although there was a feeling his brief cameo against Atletico Madrid wasn’t enough to spark interest.
By all accounts, Gabriel and his team were disappointed to miss out on the chance to feature in the Champions League against Sabah, although Michael Carrick and Co. had already planned to include him in the matchday squad against Brighton and Hove Albion before the bombshell news was released.
Likewise, reports have since suggested that United’s post-Sir Alex Ferguson decline was the reason for a move away from the club, while Wayne Rooney said in Sticking with United that Carrington had long had a feeling Gabriel was destined for Spain.
There have been recent talks with the likes of Barcelona to see the teenager play official matches for Manchester United’s first team, something that has certainly become a reality.
Whichever way you cut it, it doesn’t bode well for the Ineos regime and further setbacks are possible.
Why Manchester United could face a bigger blow than JJ Gabriel
It looks like the Gabriel saga may be getting a little toxic, with Football FanCast exclusively reporting that United are considering legal action amid the involvement of super agent Ali Barratt.
Barratt is said to have played an “important role” in the player’s engineering negotiations with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, even though the under-16 player cannot officially represent the team.
The suggestion is that, as it’s hoped, Gabriel will join Barratt and Epic Sports when he turns 16, and it must be said, it all feels a bit sordid.
It’s likely to turn into a sour, toxic situation and Ineos may want to avoid a repeat of the same mistake with the club’s first-team stars, including Bruno Fernandes.
The talismanic skipper has long been the driving force behind this United side, although there are concerns over his contract status with his current £300,000-a-week deal set to expire in 2027.
The Red Devils do have the option of a one-year extension, but Fernandes’ future is unresolved and he came close to exiting a year ago.
By his own admission, the 31-year-old is firmly considering a move to Saudi Arabia to join Al Hilal, frustrated by the feeling the club are preparing to sell him.
Thankfully, after speaking to his wife and Ruben Amorim, Fernandes was convinced to reconsider and a record-breaking Premier League campaign ensued.
Despite lingering speculation over a potential move to Turkey, no such talks took place over the summer, but with a rocky start to the season both collectively and individually, it may not be long before Fernandes’ situation hits the headlines again.
The lack of progress on the contract situation is concerning, with David Ornstein reporting earlier this month that talks on a new deal had reached an “impasse.”
“Bruno Fernandes is still in talks with Manchester United over a new contract, but there has been no breakthrough and it is said to be an impasse. United do have the option of extending the contract for another year…”
It remains to be seen whether United’s worst start to the Premier League season will have any impact on Fernandes’ decision, with the former Sporting CP star previously outlining his desire to win the major trophies that have so far eluded him in Manchester.
Premier League or Champions League honors don’t look like they’re coming anytime soon, with United’s key figures likely to leave the nest in the near future.
Of course, JJ Gabriel will likely become a star in the long run, but he remains relatively unknown at the senior level and the development of young players has never been smooth.
For his part, Fernandes is a true superstar and the reigning PFA Player of the Year. It’s hard to imagine what Manchester United would be like without him.
Losing him soon would undoubtedly be a disaster.