Gabriel could be snapped up for a laughable fee. Manchester United may go to court over 15-year-old prospect

Manchester United are considering taking the situation surrounding 15-year-old JJ Gabriel to court and reporting it to the relevant regulatory bodies, TEAMtalk reports. The young talent has requested to terminate his contract with the club and could leave Old Trafford amid interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Gabriel is regarded as one of the academy’s leading talents at United. Last season, he was named the Premier League U18 Player of the Season while competing against players older than him. The England U17 international had hoped to earn an opportunity in Michael Carrick’s first team, but according to the source, he believes the club has failed to fulfil its promises regarding playing time.

Once he turns 16, he will be able to move to a foreign club. United are particularly concerned about the potential compensation fee — according to The Sun, it could be as little as around £300,000. At the same time, the club believes the talent could eventually be worth around £100 million.

• Read also: Haiti have won all three matches and scored nine goals: prediction for Costa Rica — Haiti

Against this backdrop, Manchester United’s hierarchy are considering legal action against intermediaries involved in the player’s potential departure. Meanwhile, according to the Manchester Evening News, Gabriel is training with a private specialist in Barcelona. The Catalan club are monitoring the situation, although sporting director Deco has publicly denied that negotiations have begun.