'Obviously Madrid!' - 16-year-old Man Utd wonderkid JJ Gabriel takes swipe at Barcelona and declares Ballon d'Or ambition while training in Spain ahead of Real Madrid move

Manchester United academy prospect JJ Gabriel has made his preference for Real Madrid over arch-rivals Barcelona clear while targeting a future Ballon d'Or triumph. The 16-year-old English talent is already completing individual training sessions in the Spanish capital as Los Blancos work to finalise his switch to their Castilla reserve side.

Gabriel has spent recent days settling into Madrid after stepping away from Carrington, despite remaining formally registered with the Premier League club. After initially training in Catalonia, the teenager relocated to the capital to work with a personal coach each morning before completing afternoon gym workouts. Meanwhile, recently appointed agent Ali Barat is finalising contractual terms with the Liga giants alongside securing family accommodation.

Accompanied in Spain by his father and sporting mentor Joe O'Cearuill, a former professional footballer who has guided his early rise, the youngster is convinced he has chosen the right destination for his development. When asked by Spanish daily MARCA why the capital holds greater appeal than rivals Barcelona, Gabriel smiled and replied: "Obviously, Madrid."

Born in 2010 and having recently turned 16, the English prospect rejected a lucrative contract renewal offer as well as a private executive box inside the prospective new Old Trafford stadium in order to test himself abroad. Outlining his ultimate personal target in the game before departing training, the forward added: "My dream is to win the Ballon d'Or."

Once his contract is finalised, the Spanish heavyweights plan to integrate the attacker into their reserve side, Castilla, following the same proven developmental pathway previously navigated by senior stars Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde en route to the first team. However, administrative hurdles mean he will be unable to represent his new employers in this season's UEFA Youth League, a competition in which he previously marked his debut with a hat-trick.

Because United still hold his formal federation registration on their books despite his absence from day-to-day academy sessions, the forward remains ineligible for European youth action with Los Blancos during the current campaign. That ongoing bureaucratic tie remains the primary factor delaying an official unveiling even though he reached the required age milestone several weeks ago.

Under Article 19 of FIFA's transfer regulations, Gabriel's Irish passport allows him to move within Europe at 16 despite arriving from a non-EU association. Consequently, sources close to the teenager indicate that his registration and official announcement will likely wait until the January transfer window opens. United are now exploring their legal options as they stand to receive just £350,000 in training compensation.