Manchester United drew 1-1 with Fulham on Sunday, a result that left them with a single win from five Premier League matches this season — and the result on the pitch was matched by turmoil off it, as the club continues to manage the departure push of prized academy player JJ Gabriel.
The 15-year-old rocked United's hierarchy last week by formally requesting his registration be cancelled with immediate effect, seeking to make himself a free agent. He has not returned to Carrington since, and has played no part for any of the club's youth sides. He had been in line to make his first competitive senior appearance in the Carabao Cup against Brighton; instead, that week he scored a hat-trick for the Under-21s on his UEFA Youth League debut against Sabah — a Champions League game from which he was simultaneously left out of the senior squad.
The family's frustration is understood to centre on a belief that United have slipped well behind the elite of European football. A source close to those around the player told the Daily Mail: "His dad has ambitions for his son to be the best in the world and play with the best and learn from the best and right now that's not current situation at United — far from it."
Gabriel joined the club at the age of 11 and scored 26 goals in 29 games across Under-18 Premier League and FA Youth Cup competitions last season. United have refused his de-registration request and retain the right to challenge it, though his Irish passport — held through his father, former Republic of Ireland international Joe O'Cearuill — means a continental move could become actionable when he turns 16 on October 6, subject to FIFA's regulations. Chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox are both involved in efforts to find a resolution.
Gabriel and his family flew to Barcelona for talks with the Catalan club, and Real Madrid — understood to have been working on a deal for months — have been in contact with United to signal their awareness of the situation. Bayern Munich are also in discussions. Super-agent Ali Barat, who is the family's preferred choice for representation once Gabriel reaches the age at which he can formally sign with an agent, has been instrumental in arranging those meetings.
Michael Carrick addressed the matter at his Friday press conference, choosing his words carefully. "He's a young boy, JJ, and I think it's important that we certainly don't play anything out here," Carrick told reporters. "Making sure he's okay is the important thing."
Gabriel is not expected to be called up by any England youth side during the three-week international break, with concerns raised about his wellbeing. United are also tracking Lens midfielder Mezian Mesloub, 16, as a longer-term prospect — a player who scored five seconds after coming off the bench on his senior debut in a 1-0 win over Nantes in May, and has since assisted in a 3-2 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague.
Reporting: GiveMeSport, Evening Standard, Daily Star, Metro, TeamTalk, Mirror, CaughtOffside, Daily Mail.