Transfer
JJ Gabriel: Real Madrid reach verbal agreement with Man Utd teenager who requested to leave Old Trafford
JJ Gabriel requested to leave Man Utd in September and had interest from a number of Europe's top clubs, including Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich but as things stand Real Madrid are positioning themselves to sign the 16-year-old in the January transfer window
Wednesday 4 November 2026 13:06, UK
Real Madrid have reached a verbal agreement with 16-year-old JJ Gabriel over a potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Gabriel is registered with Manchester United's academy until the end of the season but Real Madrid intend to sign him in January.
There is a FIFA loophole that allows European clubs to tie down young players to professional contracts if they have a European passport which Gabriel qualifies for through both parents.
Sky Sports News understands there has been no club-to-club contact over the teenager as of yet.
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Sky Sports News reported in October United will consider legal action if a potential move does materialise for the youngster but it is also understood not to be a concern for Gabriel's camp.
The teenager requested to leave United in September and has not trained with the club since.
When Gabriel's camp made it clear he wanted to move on, they asked to be de-registered immediately for the player to become a free agent.
'He could have been a superstar' - Merse on Man Utd losing Gabriel
Sky Sports' Paul Merson:
"This kid's a good player. He's a very good player. He could have been a superstar.
"This rule has got to change. I think it's because his mum and dad have got an Irish passport that he's allowed to go abroad. And that needs to change.
"Manchester United have worked on this kid, made him the player he is. Obviously, he'd have been gifted at the same time.
"The thing is, he's going to Real Madrid. I said Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world. He's going to the biggest club in the world. It's not like there's not a player in the world who wouldn't go to Real Madrid.
"You ask any player who's playing in the Premier League, if Real Madrid come for you, it's very rare you turn them down. Great opportunity for the kid."
Which other clubs are interested?
Real Madrid are just one of a number of clubs that have shown an interest in Gabriel. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also been keen on him.
However, it is Real that have made the most progress in the race to sign one of Europe's most highly-rated academy players.
Why does Gabriel want to leave Man Utd?
Gabriel and his camp felt he should have had more first-team involvement, both in pre-season and in the early stages of the season before he handed in a transfer request in September.
It is understood that United felt they had done all they could to show Gabriel and his family a clear pathway to their first-team while also protecting his long-term development.
Gabriel featured in the first-team squad photo and trained with the main group in pre-season before coming off the bench for the senior side in a pre-season friendly against AC Milan. However, the player and his family, ultimately, were not satisfied with the nine-minute cameo he got in that game.
Gabriel's involvement in pre-season came after the then 15-year-old failed to report back with the academy squad at the beginning of pre-season as expected. The U21s arrived back at Carrington a week before the first-team and Gabriel was due back at the same time.
But his family believed it was beneath him and were of the view he should only be involved in first-team training and so pulled him out of reporting back with the U21s.
Gabriel and his family also requested he feature for at least 20 minutes against Sabah in the Champions League, Brighton in the FA Cup and Bournemouth in the Premier League on October 25.
However, United chose not to include Gabriel in their Champions League A-list squad, which meant he was ineligible for the match against Sabah.
Gabriel, as a homegrown player, would have become eligible to feature for United in the competition from when he turned 16 in October, automatically being added to the club's B-list squad.
The player's family felt that was the opportune moment for him to be involved in first-team action.
Club sources believe the tension between the two camps stem from Gabriel's family wanting to chase historical records and United wanting to protect his long-term development.
