Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United to take a firmer stance on talented youngster JJ Gabriel, who wants to leave the club, according to The Sun.

Gabriel, 15, is seeking a way out of Old Trafford after expressing his desire to leave and has been linked with several European top clubs.

Insiders at Manchester United believe Gabriel will not return to the club after requesting to have his contract registration cancelled.

Gabriel joined Manchester United at age 11 and was dubbed "the Messi of kids" due to his exceptional talent.

Despite not turning 16 until October 6, Gabriel believes he can achieve greater progress elsewhere. If he leaves, there will certainly be no shortage of interested clubs.

However, Ferdinand has warned his former club, insisting Manchester United must do everything in its power to retain the striker.

"I just feel like Manchester United cannot be bullied by a 15-year-old kid, no matter how good he is," Ferdinand said on his personal video channel.

"So, whatever the outcome, Manchester United has to stand its ground. Because no matter how this decision ultimately plays out, there will be more kids using this as a reference point, and the club cannot appear weak in this situation.

"But I'm not going to sit here and criticize the kid, or break down and blame things, because I don't understand how they got to this point, to this juncture, where JJ Gabriel and his family are asking to leave."

Ferdinand also praised the player's immense potential, adding: "It's incredible. I don't know where the ceiling is for this kid. I've seen him play, I've seen him train, and I've heard what coaches who have worked with him for years say about him. Without a doubt, this kid is destined for the top."

Manchester United currently still holds a significant advantage in retaining players, at least in the short term. The club is also considering bringing in another talented youngster as a replacement and can challenge Gabriel's request to terminate his contract.

Premier League rules clearly state: "During a player's registration period, registration can only be cancelled if all relevant parties agree (the club, the player, and their parents or guardians)."

This has not stopped Gabriel's agent, Ali Barat, from pushing for his client's next move, with talks already arranged with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

This dispute will clearly continue for some time, as Gabriel has deleted all Manchester United-related photos from his social media before re-uploading some of them.

This is a tricky situation for Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, though his immediate focus will be on the next Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on October 10.

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