Official notification ends the debate: Manchester United player puts one foot in Real Madrid

A new weapon nears Mourinho's squad

Real Madrid are closing in on a remarkable signing that has set alarm bells ringing across Europe's biggest clubs. JJ Gabriel, the 16-year-old English prodigy, is now only a matter of time away from joining the Spanish giants.

According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, Madrid have seen off a host of elite rivals to win the race. Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona had all contacted the player's camp after he decided to leave Manchester United.

His exit from Old Trafford triggered a scramble among Europe's heavyweights, dazzled by a teenager who has already smashed a string of age records in English football.

Controversy surrounded the departure, and plenty of noise swirled around the player's camp. None of it dented Madrid's resolve. They had led the chase from day one, drawn by the vast potential of a player who has represented England at every age level and scored a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut this season.

Gabriel turned 16 on 6 October, the age that unlocked the complex process of ending his ties with Manchester United. He joined the club in 2022 after spells in the academies of Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham United.

He was no older than 11 when he first became a phenomenon, thanks to extraordinary ball-handling skills. The boy could rattle off thousands of touches without letting the ball drop. His development at Manchester then confirmed he was progressing exactly as hoped.

In 2025, Gabriel made his first appearance for Manchester United's Under-18 side at just 14, scoring twice against Leeds United to become the youngest player ever to wear the shirt.

The following season brought 26 goals in 29 matches and the award for best Under-18 player in the Premier League.

Come 2026, he opened his UEFA Youth League account with a hat-trick against Sabah. Ruben Amorim handed him a chance to train with the first team, and Michael Carrick named him for the first time in a pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm.

His father, Joe Okereuil, pointed to the lack of regular first-team opportunities as the chief reason behind the decision to leave Manchester United.

A former professional himself, Okereuil played as a defender rather than an attacker like his son, yet he became the driving force behind Gabriel's career. He changed the boy's name to something more marketable and landed him a Nike sponsorship at just 14, a deal reckoned to be even more lucrative than the one the American company struck with Neymar as a teenager.

Alongside his father, agent Ali Barat has been pivotal in shaping Gabriel's path. The founder of the Epic Sports agency, Barat is a familiar face in the corridors of the Santiago Bernabeu after handling Denzel Dumfries' move to Real Madrid last summer.

As his 16th birthday approached, Gabriel lodged an official request to leave Manchester United last September. He has spent recent weeks training in Spain under a private coach, waiting for the switch to be finalised. Only a signature now stands between him and Real Madrid.

Manchester United are expected to pocket only a modest fee for the player's training rights, with estimates around 300,000 pounds sterling. Club officials are left kicking themselves at losing a talent many believe could be worth more than 100 million euros.

Gabriel will start out with Real Madrid Castilla under Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff.

The idea is to smooth his path to the first team and sidestep the upheaval that marred his exit from Manchester United.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed as much on X: "JJ Gabriel's move to Real Madrid has become imminent, as the management of the 16-year-old talent has informed all interested clubs of its final decision."

He added: "The official notification to the major clubs that had been seeking to sign him was that Gabriel wants only to move to Real Madrid, coinciding with putting the finishing touches to the terms of the agreement. Securing the deal has become very close."