Real Madrid are confident of winning the race for JJ Gabriel after reaching a verbal agreement with the 16-year-old Manchester United forward, who has not trained with the club since asking to leave in September. Madrid intend to complete the signing in the January transfer window, but nothing has been signed and United could yet challenge the move.
Sky Sports News reported on Wednesday that there has been no club-to-club contact over the teenager, who remains registered with United’s academy until the end of the season and is in Spain maintaining his fitness. Reporter David Ornstein said Gabriel is “expected to sign” for Madrid and has agreed terms in principle on a long-term contract.
Barcelona, Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich have also pursued the forward, while Arsenal and Manchester City were linked with him earlier in the saga. Sky says Madrid have made the most progress. The Times, as cited by Sports Illustrated, reports that Madrid were willing to pay the seven-figure salary sought by the player, unlike Bayern.
How United lost control of the situation
Gabriel joined United at 11 and quickly became one of the most talked-about young players in English football. He scored 21 goals in the Under-18 Premier League last season, winning the golden boot and the division’s player of the year award, and became the youngest winner of the club’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year prize. He also scored a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut in a 5-0 win over Sabah this season.
The relationship broke down over his route to the first team. According to Sky, the player’s family wanted at least 20 minutes for him against Sabah, Brighton and Bournemouth, and he was left out of United’s Champions League A-list. His representatives then lodged a request for his registration to be cancelled on the eve of the Carabao Cup tie against Brighton on 16 September, asking for him to be de-registered immediately so he could become a free agent.
Sky reports that United felt they had done all they could to keep him. Michael Carrick struck a cautious note when the story first broke. “I just think we’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation,” he said. “He’s a young boy, he’s 15.”
Sports Illustrated reports that Gabriel’s camp have since rebuffed attempts at contact.
The rule that makes the deal possible
Fifa generally prohibits international transfers of players under 18, but allows moves between clubs within the European Union or European Economic Area for players aged 16 to 18. Gabriel turned 16 on 6 October and qualifies for an EU passport through his parents, which gives Madrid a route that is closed to most English teenagers since Brexit. Fifa would still need to approve the transfer.
The same exemption once worked in the Premier League’s favour. Cesc Fabregas left Barcelona for Arsenal at 16 in 2003, and Gerard Pique joined United from Barcelona at 17 the following year. Since the UK left the EU, English clubs have been unable to recruit from the continent in that way, while a player with the right passport can still move in the other direction.
The financial gap is what makes the case so sensitive for United. Sports Illustrated says the club could receive as little as £100,000 and are unlikely to get more than £300,000 in training compensation. Jadon Sancho’s move from Manchester City to Borussia Dortmund at 17 in 2017 brought City a reported fee of about £8m.
What happens next
The next stage is likely to be legal as much as sporting. The Manchester Evening News reports that United will consider taking action against any European club attempting to sign Gabriel, with the junior terms he signed at 15 still valid. Sky’s Dan Khan believes United are likely to pursue legal action in an attempt to secure greater compensation, although the player’s camp are understood not to be concerned by that prospect.
Any dispute would come at an awkward moment for United, who were 17th in the Premier League before their Champions League win over Roma on Tuesday. Losing one of their most promising academy players for a fraction of his perceived value would raise questions about how the club manages its elite youngsters.
For Gabriel, the guarantee of minutes that his camp sought at United is not assured in Madrid. ESPN reported in September that the club planned to place him straight into their Castilla reserve side, and Sky’s Khan noted that coach Jose Mourinho is likely to have a say in his progress. A forward who left United over playing time would still have to earn his minutes at the Bernabeu.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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