The saga surrounding Manchester United academy star JJ-Gabriel's departure continues, with Real Madrid currently leading the race to sign the 16-year-old talent. Los Blancos are increasingly confident about bringing him to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Shocking exit request from Manchester United

Gabriel has officially submitted a transfer request to Manchester United, a move that shocked the club's hierarchy.

At the start of this season, Manchester United had high hopes for him, even planning his professional debut in the Carabao Cup against Brighton. Had it happened, he would have become Manchester United's youngest ever player. However, he was subsequently left out of the squad for the Premier League match against Ipswich and the Champions League tie against Sabah Baku, which deeply frustrated both the player and his representatives, causing a complete breakdown in their relationship.

Real Madrid leads the race, passport overcomes transfer hurdles

Real Madrid is intensifying its efforts, hoping to capitalize on the Manchester United-player conflict to complete the transfer. According to journalist José Félix Díaz, a final decision on his future will be made soon, and Real Madrid is currently the favourite to sign him, with the player himself preferring a move to La Liga.

Gabriel is expected to obtain a Cypriot passport, which would allow him to circumvent post-Brexit transfer restrictions; as long as his parents meet FIFA's non-football-related migration requirements, he can join a continental European club.

Multiple European giants interested

Real Madrid is not alone in its interest; Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Barcelona have already held talks with the player's representatives.

Two years ago, Manchester United convinced him to reject Manchester City's offer, but since turning 16, the club's hold over him has weakened significantly. Manchester United remains determined to retain this generational academy talent, but the club is gradually accepting the reality that he is likely to leave, as the player himself is urgently seeking guaranteed first-team opportunities.

Outlook

Losing Gabriel would be a significant blow to Manchester United's academy. The club's bottom line is that they do not want him to join another Premier League rival directly.

For Real Madrid, successfully signing Gabriel would further strengthen their young talent pipeline. However, questions remain: will he receive the first-team opportunities in Madrid that were denied to him in Manchester? The teenager's future will be decided soon.

Traduzido por IA.

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