Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel has asked to leave the club in a shock move, with Real Madrid leading the race to sign him, talkSPORT understands. The 15-year-old was recently labelled a ‘generational talent’ by Man United legend Ryan Giggs, who urged the club to keep him around.
However, just five days after scoring a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut for the Red Devils’ U19s, he wants to quit, as reported by talkSPORT. The teenage sensation, dubbed the ‘Kid Messi’, has sent a formal notice to cancel his registration with the club.
He wants to become a free agent, with Man United unclear on what has prompted the surprise decision. talkSPORT understands that the club are still hopeful of buying enough time to resolve the issue, but that the young star is pushing to leave as soon as possible for a new challenge.
Also Read: Carabao Cup: Azeez Set For Manchester United Clash After Injury Layoff But 14-time European champions Real Madrid are the frontrunners to land Gabriel. It’s believed he possesses an Irish passport, meaning Man United could be powerless to stop him leaving once he turns 16 on October 6. It’s understood that Gabriel has two Premier League teams interested, with talkSPORT reporting last month that Chelsea have been eyeing him.
Barcelona are also interested, having made pitches for several months to the player. Gabriel was set to be included in Michael Carrick’s first-team squad for their Carabao Cup tie against Brighton on Wednesday, which will be live on talkSPORT. He is yet to play a competitive game for United’s senior team, but did feature during pre-season this summer.