Jermaine Pennant revealed in an interview that his father made the decision for him when he transferred to Arsenal at 15 years old, and he is urging JJ Gabriel to decide his own future.

The 15-year-old prospect caused a stir last week after it emerged that he wants to leave Manchester United.

JJ Gabriel has long been tipped as a promising talent with a bright future, but he appears to see his future away from Old Trafford, hoping to terminate his contract with the club to pursue a transfer elsewhere.

Premier League giants are interested in him, and Barcelona and Real Madrid are also monitoring his situation. The player traveled to Spain last week for transfer talks about a possible move to Camp Nou.

However, Barcelona's sporting director Deco told talkSPORT that the club has no intention of signing the young talent.

Gabriel's next move remains uncertain, but the teenager is clearly determined to leave Old Trafford.

talkSPORT pundit and former Premier League star Pennant had a similar experience. He revealed that in 1999, at 15 years old, his father arranged his transfer from Notts County to Arsenal.

Speaking about his own experience of changing teams at the same age, Pennant told talkSPORT: "I had no say in it."

Pennant said: "I woke up one day and thought: 'Right, I'll go training.' I was training with the first team when I was 15. I was playing for Notts County's first team when I was 15, and I was also living in digs."

He continued: "Then one night, my dad knocked on the door with some other lads, and he said: 'Son, we're going to London, we're going to speak to Arsenal,' and I just said: 'Alright.'"

"Basically, I packed my bags, jumped straight in the back of a Range Rover and we drove to London. Arsenal showed me everything, showed me where they train, showed me this, showed me that."

"The next day, we signed the papers, I got the train back to Nottingham, went home and then prepared to head back to London again. Throughout the whole process, I didn't really have a proper conversation with anyone."

Ultimately, Pennant made just 26 appearances for the Gunners between 1999 and 2004, and he admitted that it might have been wiser to stay at Notts County for another year.

Pennant acknowledged the similarities between Gabriel's transfer saga and his own experience, insisting that the player doesn't really have control over the decision.

Pennant said: "It doesn't seem to be his decision, to be honest."

"It's more like he's being influenced by the people around him. Family and agents can go to his dad and say: 'Look, we can give your son another life at Real Madrid or Barcelona' – which is very tempting."

"Especially Barcelona, who have always been good at developing young talent, and they may also be looking at Manchester United's current situation."

"They probably think the kid isn't really getting a chance in this team, 'Can he really break through? Will the club give him a chance? He's still so young.'"

"In Spain, football is different – it's not as intense, not as physically demanding, you might have a better chance of making a name for yourself abroad. So all these factors come into play."

"But it's not Gabriel sitting down and telling his dad: 'Dad, I really want to leave Manchester United,' it's his family thinking that maybe the best course of action for their son is to leave Manchester United and go and play in Spain."

With a major decision looming for Gabriel's future, Pennant urged the teenager to make his own choice rather than listen to others.

Pennant said: "You have to follow your heart. If you really believe you can make it with Manchester United's U-18s, then have a proper conversation with your coaches and the people who actually make the decisions."

"But if you really feel your style is better suited to playing abroad, and a team like Real Madrid or Barcelona is a better option for you, and that's your dream, then pursue it."

"But don't be forced to do something because of your dad, agent, mum or brother – don't force yourself to please others."

"You have to speak up for yourself, because it's about you, you're the player, you're the one who actually plays."

Traduzido por IA.

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