In a rather sensational piece of news, Manchester United’s big talent JJ Gabriel has made it clear to the Premier League club that he wants to move on.
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The news undoubtedly put rivals on high alert in the pursuit of the teenager, who is highly regarded. However, Chelsea are not in a position to sign the 15-year-old right now. Gabriel grew up in London and actually developed his skills in Chelsea’s academy, while also spending time at Arsenal and West Ham. He was quickly touted as the next big thing in English football and has even been dubbed “Kid Messi”.
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Manchester United have had him in their ranks since 2022, and he became the youngest player ever to play for the club’s U18 team. He scored twice on his debut in the U18 Premier League against Leeds United when he was still only 14 years old. So far, however, he has yet to make his senior team debut in a meaningful game – he has only played friendlies.
JJ Gabriel wants to leave Man Utd and asks for registration to be cancelled
The 15-year-old is considered one of English football’s most promising talents, but has rarely been given a chance at senior level.
This week, it was revealed that Gabriel wants to leave Old Trafford, and according to GMS, the youngster has asked for his registration in the squad to be cancelled. Manchester United are currently unsure what has triggered the decision and want to find a solution.
There was even a plan to include the teenager in Michael Carrick’s first-team squad this week, in the League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion. While the news will have caused fear internally, the club believes the situation can be rectified, given the time remaining on his registration – which cannot simply be cancelled.
That said, some reports suggest that his stance has arisen after an alleged breach of trust between his family and the club, with his contract expiring next summer.
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Others believe the player had hoped to have made his debut for the senior team by now. He was not involved in the opening week’s Champions League win over Sabah, where many saw the 4-0 win as a good opportunity for Gabriel to get game time.
Chelsea can’t sign JJ Gabriel right now
With Gabriel seemingly pushing for an exit, every club in Europe will be watching what happens next. Many will likely make moves behind the scenes to position themselves for a potential raid on the youth player.
Previous reports have suggested that clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all been aware of him since he was around 13 years old. Real Madrid and Barcelona have been making offers for JJ for months, while Manchester City tried a year ago.
Chelsea are also watching, having been named as an interested party. However, there is one problem for the Blues that will prevent them from making an immediate move towards the youngster.
The west London club is serving a nine-month ban that stops them from signing academy players. This was imposed in March after the Premier League found them guilty of breaching regulations in three different areas: financial reporting, third-party investments and youth development.
Chelsea – who were also fined £10.75 million – will not be allowed to register academy players purchased from Premier League and EFL clubs until December. Gabriel will therefore not be able to join the club until his ban has been served.
The teenager is also not among Man Utd’s Premier League registered players, as he is still 15 years old and does not need to be included – but he is still eligible to play in the tournament. However, he has yet to be called up to any senior squads this season, and has instead only played for the Red Devils’ youth team.
