JJ Gabriel: Rio Ferdinand tells Man Utd what they absolutely must not do as decision date set
Rio Ferdinand has given his take on the JJ Gabriel transfer saga, telling Manchester United what they absolutely must not do.
Gabriel may only be 15 years of age, but he’s already widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects Man Utd have produced in their entire history.
As such, it came as the bitterest of pills to swallow a few weeks ago when the youngster’s camp requested Gabriel be de-registered.
That sparked a mad scramble for Gabriel’s signature, and our insider, Graeme Bailey, has been informed October 6 is the date this saga could come to a close.
That is the date when Gabriel turns 16, and can not only hire an official agent, but can also sign with an overseas side given he possesses an EU passport.
Regarding where Gabriel will go, the expectation is he’ll land at one of Spain’s big two – Barcelona or Real Madrid.
But before then, United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has given his assessment of the whole situation surrounding Gabriel and his future.
Rio Ferdinand on JJ Gabriel transfer saga
“First and foremost, what a talent this kid is,” said Ferdinand when speaking on his YouTube channel. “It’s crazy.
“I don’t know where this kid’s ceiling is. I’ve seen him play, I’ve seen him train, I’ve listened to people who have coached him for a number of years and there’s no doubt this kid is going to the top.
“I think we need to understand the reasons why he wants to leave the club. It’s not a 15-year-old making this call on his own, his family may have their reasons why.
“Are they being impatient, are they thinking he should have got minutes already, were they promised stuff and now they’re disgruntled?
“I remember watching him in training and he was doing shooting drills with Bruno Fernandes. That’s the PFA Player of the Year and one of the best midfielders in the world.
“At 15-years-old that would have been enough for me. But maybe he’s got aspirations and wants to be playing already.”
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Ferdinand then insisted that whatever the conclusion of this saga ends up being, Man Utd absolutely must not come out of it looking weak.
Explaining why, the former defender declared: “But Manchester United can’t be seen to be bullied by a 15-year-old, no matter how good he is. So whatever the outcome, Manchester United have to remain strong in this.
“There will be other kids using this as a reference point so you can’t be seen to be weak as a football club. But, I reiterate, I don’t know the full facts and I would love to.”
In an era where academy raids and youngsters leaving clubs before they’ve graduated into the first team is increasingly common, Gabriel leaving could set a dangerous precedent for United with wonderkids in the future.
