According to the Manchester Evening News, JJ-Gabriel, Manchester United's 15-year-old wonderkid, has requested to leave the club, a decision that shocked the club internally. Manchester United had previously developed an accelerated development plan for him and was preparing to include him in the squad against Brighton with the goal of breaking the club's record for youngest player, but that plan will not materialize.

Last week, Gabriel scored a hat-trick against Al Ain's youth team. Upon returning to the dressing room at Carrington, he still had a beaming smile. After the match, academy director Adam Lawrence praised Gabriel, saying his current form was "excellent." However, an hour later, Gabriel deleted all his social media accounts.

His personal biography contained no content related to Manchester United anymore, only "nikefootball." This suggested something might change, so when news broke on Tuesday that Gabriel had requested to leave Manchester United, it wasn't entirely without warning. Nevertheless, the news still shocked Manchester United. The club was baffled as to why Gabriel would ask to leave at this moment, especially since Manchester United had planned to include him in the squad for the following evening's match, with the potential for a first-team debut. If he played, he would become the youngest player in Manchester United's history to make an appearance.

Given the length of his contract, Manchester United still believes there is a chance to salvage the situation. Gabriel cannot be released right now, but next summer he will have the opportunity to leave, and the club does not want to lose him. After Gabriel submitted his transfer request, an insider believes the situation could still be defused by one thing—money. However, it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to keep Gabriel, and how much Manchester United is willing to offer.

Manchester United believes the club has done everything in its power to demonstrate to Gabriel that he has a clear path to the first team. He has been coached according to an accelerated development plan and has received unprecedented support for a player of his age.

This all began the day Gabriel arrived at Manchester United. At the time, the club had arranged for him to appear alongside Cristiano Ronaldo's son in the Old Trafford press room, which was one of many special arrangements Manchester United had made to make him feel valued. When Gabriel was very young, Manchester United even arranged a meeting with Marcus Rashford. The club also arranged a meeting with Ruben Amorim at Carrington, he had a brief discussion with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, and his family was invited multiple times to the directors' box to watch matches.

After Gabriel met Amorim, a photo of the two circulated on social media. Amorim, then Manchester United manager, was unhappy that Gabriel's father had publicly shared the photo. The photo was subsequently deleted but had already spread widely online. Manchester United has always known that no matter what the club did for Gabriel, it might not be enough to keep him. Gabriel's father was a former professional footballer whose career was cut short by injury, and he has always dreamed that his son would one day play for Barcelona and become a star.

The Manchester Evening News revealed in April 2025 that Gabriel was on the verge of making his debut with Manchester United's U18 team at just 14 years old. A few months later, he nearly left Manchester United. Without a last-minute meeting, he would have already departed the club at that point.

Shortly after that meeting, the Manchester Evening News revealed that Manchester United's football director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada had both attended, which reflected the importance the club's leadership placed on Gabriel. Given Gabriel's age at the time, what happened during that meeting was extraordinary. Manchester United reiterated that he could become an iconic figure for the club in the future, while promising further special arrangements. Ultimately, all parties agreed Gabriel would remain at Manchester, and one of the key factors that persuaded him to stay was his own desire to continue playing for Manchester United.

Sources revealed that Gabriel had tears in his eyes that day, becoming very emotional at the thought of potentially leaving Manchester United. Gabriel loved representing Manchester United and was also very close to some of his academy teammates. Manchester United's staff had always been impressed by his politeness and humility. However, ultimately, a young player early in his career will always rely on his family and advisers.

Now, Gabriel's entourage has decided to try to leave Manchester United. They are free to do so next summer, but Gabriel's current contract does not expire until the end of this season, so asking Manchester United to release him and make him a free agent now seems highly unusual. However, looking back at a series of previous events, clues can be found that led to his request.

The Manchester Evening News reported in March of this year that Gabriel would have the opportunity to participate in first-team activities during pre-season. The young player was included in the first team for the first time when Manchester United traveled to Trondheim to play Rosenborg. Manchester United ultimately won 5-0 against Rosenborg, but Gabriel did not play. However, he was still very excited to be with the team. Upon leaving the stadium after the match, someone congratulated him on being in the first team, and he politely replied, "Thank you."

Next, he also had a special moment with his mother, taking a photo together in his kit. Michael Carrick subsequently brought Gabriel on as a substitute in the pre-season match against Atlético Madrid in Stockholm, marking his first-team pre-season debut. This time, the young player also seemed very happy. But for his entourage, it was another matter entirely that this ultimately became his only appearance throughout pre-season.

The various special arrangements Manchester United had previously granted him were important in demonstrating the value the club placed on him, but actual first-team playing time was far more important. It has always been suspected that Gabriel's father wants his son to become one of the youngest players in football history.

Ethan Nwaneri made his Premier League debut at 15 years and 181 days, Max Dowman at 15 years and 235 days, and Jeremy Munga at 15 years and 271 days; these three rank among the youngest players in Premier League history. Last season, Gabriel was not old enough to play in the Premier League. However, in Manchester United's first Premier League match of this season against Hull City, he was already 15 years and 320 days old.

Since Hull City led 2-0 at halftime, that match was not a realistic or appropriate opportunity for Gabriel to enter the game. But in the following match against Ipswich, when he was 15 years and 328 days old, it could have been thought as an opportunity to give him playing time. Had Gabriel entered that day, he would have become the fourth-youngest player in Premier League history, and his entourage believes his talent is even greater than that of Nwaneri, Dowman, and Munga.

Manchester United believes the club has done everything possible to prove to Gabriel that he is an important part of the team's future plans. He was originally set to have the chance to become the youngest player in Manchester United's history in Wednesday evening's match against Brighton, but he will no longer have that opportunity. However, at the same time, this also means that if Gabriel ultimately leaves Manchester United, the compensation the club can receive will also be reduced.

Since the Brighton match was originally the first chance to include Gabriel in an official squad, and the club was aware of the enormous media attention surrounding the player, Carrick had previously prepared to answer questions about Gabriel at the pre-match press conference. However, that press conference took place after the Manchester derby. Since Manchester United had just lost to Manchester City in a controversial match, no journalist asked about Gabriel at that time, and the situation of the 15-year-old temporarily did not become a focus of attention.

But after the Brighton match, Carrick will almost certainly be questioned about Gabriel's current situation. It seems somewhat absurd that the future of a 15-year-old player could cause such upheaval, but JJ-Gabriel himself is not an ordinary 15-year-old player.

Traduit par IA.

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