Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel has sensationally asked to leave the club.
The 15-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in world football, the crown jewel of United’s academy who is nicknamed ‘Kid Messi’ after the Argentine superstar.
He is eligible to make his senior debut for United this season, potentially following in the footsteps of Arsenal starlet Max Dowman who made his first-team bow at 15 in August last year.
But Gabriel has stunned United by formally asking the club to cancel his registration and allow him to leave, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro’s football newsletter
Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free.
United are yet to respond to the request but the report states the club do not regard the situation as ‘irretrievable’ with hope it can still be rectified.
While he does not have a new club lined up at this stage, United agreeing to his request would leave him free to join any one of the sides across Europe who have watched his development from afar.
Clubs cannot sign players to professional contracts until the age of 17 or scholarship agreements until they turn 16. Gabriel turns 16 on 6 October.
Gabriel scored 26 times in 29 appearances across the Under-18 Premier League and FA Youth Cup last season, frequently training with the first-team.
That thrilling form has continued this term, scoring a hat-trick in the Uefa Youth League victory over Sabah last week.
United had planned to include him in the senior squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third round clash against Brighton.
After the Sabah game, Gabriel’s Instagram account was wiped clean of all photographs. BBC Sport report the youngster has not trained with the senior squad since that game, amid issues in the relationship between the player’s family and the club.
‘The talent is there. Crazy talent,’ former United defender and academy graduate Wes Brown told Metro earlier this year.
‘It is about timing with JJ Gabriel. For United, it is about getting him in in at the right time where he can do well where he will be appreciated.
‘Watching Gabriel is, he is fearless, he is always trying to make something happen. The way he glides past players is unbelievable.’
Just how good is JJ Gabriel?
There is good reason for the hype around JJ Gabriel. The teenager is considered to be the most exceptional young talent to progress through United’s youth ranks in recent years and across the game at youth level, is regarded as the best player in the country born in 2010.
In addition to those Messi comparisons, his ability to effortlessly take the ball on the turn has seen him likened to Phil Foden, who progressed through the youth academy over the way at Manchester City.
Under the guidance of United’s Under-18 boss Darren Fletcher, he has developed into a lethal goal scorer, with the skill and variety in his finishing heightening the expectation around him.
Football is littered with stories of unique talents failing to make the step up to men’s football. Angel Gomes, who currently holds the record of United’s youngest player in history, has carved out a decent career for himself in France having also been recognised at international level, but made just 10 more appearances for United after his debut. United’s next youngest debutant Shola Shoretire is currently playingfor Greek outfit PAOK.
But he situation with Gabriel has felt very different. United hope the situation can still be rectified – but no matter how big the talent, the club cannot be seen being held to ransom by a schoolboy – or whoever is making decisions on his behalf.
Barcelona’s interest in him has already been well-documented and the teenager holds an Irish passport through his dad, former Republic of Ireland international Joe O’Cearuill, meaning any move abroad would be free of any Brexit red tape.
Tony Mogan, live sports editor
Ryan Giggs, who broke into the senior United side aged 17, recently described Gabriel as a ‘generational talent’ who will be pushing for a place in the senior squad this season.
‘Sometimes you have to be patient. Sometimes it gets to a point where you can’t not pick him or have him train in the first team,’ Giggs said last week.
‘It is that in-between time where he thinks he should be in the first team squad every week, when Michael [Carrick] sees it a different way.
‘He is probably thinking: “No, you need to play games. It isn’t really going to do you any good travelling here, there and everywhere, getting five to 10 minutes on the pitch.’