JJ Gabriel: January transfer now ‘planned’ after ‘XXL’ offer as Man Utd learn fate

There’s movement coming on the future of Manchester United wonderkid, JJ Gabriel, and it’s bad news for the Red Devils.

Gabriel turns 16 today (October 6), and that is the age at which he can sign for European sides given he holds an Irish passport.

From the Premier League, Chelsea pursued the ultra-talented teen with the greatest vigour, though TEAMtalk have consistently reported the likeliest outcome was a move to Spain.

Both of that country’s big two, Real Madrid and Barcelona, are scrambling to bring one of the best talents English football has ever produced on board.

And according to the latest from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, both Real and Barca have put monstrous offers on the table.

The expectation, per the reporter, is Gabriel will now put pen to paper with one of those two sides, and complete a move to Spain in the upcoming winter window.

Plettenberg wrote on X: “JJ Gabriel, Manchester United’s 15 y/o gem who turns 16 is set to receive a Cypriot passport in the near future, if all goes to plan.

“A free transfer in January is planned and therefore possible.

“Real Madrid and Barcelona are currently very concrete – both ready to offer the XXL package of salary, bonuses and signing-on fee.

“FC Bayern are not giving up and have held new talks. PSG are lurking.”

How Man Utd could have kept JJ Gabriel

Losing Gabriel will be a bitter pill to swallow for Man Utd, and per the MEN it was wholly avoidable if Michael Carrick had agreed to meet three demands.

They claimed Gabriel and his camp requested 20 minutes of action off the bench against Sabah in the Champions League, against Brighton in the League Cup, and against Bournemouth in the Premier League, the last fixture of which takes place later in October.

But while those demands may seem small in the grand scheme of things, it’s important to remember Michael Carrick is under mounting pressure amid a dire start to the new campaign.

Handing a then-15-year-old his debut in matches when readymade and proven stars like Marcus Rashford and Benjamin Sesko are available off the bench would have been a leap.

According to the MEN, Gabriel’s camp would have entered into discussions regarding a scholarship agreement if those demands were met.

But once they were ignored, the request to be de-registered and leave quickly followed.