Boom! Barcelona could sign 'little Messi' who wants to leave Manchester United
Manchester United could be about to lose one of the brightest talents in their academy.
Details: 15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel has formally asked Manchester United to cancel his registration and allow him to leave the club with immediate effect. The unexpected request has stunned the Old Trafford hierarchy, which had been preparing the teenager for another major step towards senior football.
Gabriel had been in contention to be involved against Brighton in the Carabao Cup on September 16. A competitive appearance would put the youngster in position to make club history, but his sudden request to leave has created serious uncertainty around those plans.
The attacker, who has been nicknamed Kid Messi because of his style and performances at youth level, is already attracting major interest. Barcelona are among the European clubs monitoring his situation, while Chelsea have also been linked with a move for the Manchester United prospect.
Manchester United have not yet given up hope of keeping Gabriel. As he remains registered as a youth player, his departure cannot simply be completed unilaterally: cancelling the registration requires an agreement between the relevant parties, while the Premier League can ultimately become involved in resolving a dispute.
It is worth noting that Gabriel scored 23 goals in 23 U18 Premier League appearances last season. He was named the competition's Player of the Season and also became the youngest-ever winner of Manchester United's Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.
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Steven Perez
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