JJ Gabriel's Future: Barcelona and Europe's Giants Eye Manchester United Teen

JJ Gabriel’s future has burst into the open – and now it has taken him to Barcelona.

The 15-year-old Manchester United forward has told the club he wants his registration cancelled with immediate effect, a dramatic move that has put some of Europe’s biggest sides on high alert.

Real Madrid’s interest is described as firm. Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain and Barcelona are also in the chase. Gabriel left the UK on Thursday, first travelling to France before heading on to Barcelona, underlining how quickly the situation around him is moving.

Registration row and EU route

United currently hold the London-born youngster’s registration. If they keep it, they can block him from joining another English club until the end of the season, a significant lever in any stand-off.

There may be a way around that. Gabriel could be eligible for an EU passport through his father, a former Republic of Ireland international, or his mother, who has Greek-Cypriot heritage. If that paperwork comes through, he would be free to sign for a club in the European Union when he turns 16 on 6 October.

That date now looms large. So does the question of where he will be playing his football when it arrives.

Fallout after Youth League hat-trick

Gabriel has not trained with United since 10 September, the night he announced himself in Europe with a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut. He has been frozen out of action since then, at least in United colours.

Tournament rules mean he cannot represent any other club in this season’s Youth League, even if he moves. The performance, meant to be a launchpad, has instead become a line in the sand.

Tension spiked again when United did not register him for their Champions League opener against Sabah FK, a game Michael Carrick’s side won 4-0. Sources close to Gabriel were furious at the omission, seeing it as a clear slight at a time when his future was already uncertain.

Carrick treads carefully

Carrick faced fresh questions about the teenager at his Friday news conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Fulham. He chose his words carefully.

"He's a young boy, JJ, and I think it's important we don't play anything out here," he said.

"With the exposure and scrutiny and everything, you got to be careful and be sensible and think of him as much as anything.

"The situation will work itself out, whatever way it's going to work itself out. Making sure he's OK is the important thing."

For now, United are keeping him out of the firing line on the pitch as well as off it. Gabriel, who scored in his first two Premier League 2 appearances this season, will not feature for the club’s second string against Brentford at Leigh Sports Village on Friday.

The talent is obvious. The interest is real. The clock is ticking towards 6 October.