Manchester United shocked as talented youngster JJ Gabriel asks to leave

· Guardian-Football

15-year-old wants his registration to be cancelled He was to be in squad to face Brighton on Wednesday Manchester United have been left confused and shocked by the news that the talented 15-year-old JJ Gabriel has asked to leave the club, a day before he was to be included in the first-team squad to face Brighton. Gabriel could have become United’s youngest player in the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday. But the Guardian understands Gabriel has asked for his registration to be cancelled.

Manchester United have been left confused and shocked by the news that the talented 15-year-old JJ Gabriel has asked to leave the club, a day before he was to be included in the first-team squad to face Brighton.

Gabriel could have become United’s youngest player in the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday. But the Guardian understands Gabriel has asked for his registration to be cancelled.

United are unsure what has prompted this decision and believe they have done everything they can to show Gabriel and his family there is a pathway to the first team. Those efforts have included meetings with Ruben Amorim, when the Portuguese was head coach, and Sir Alex Ferguson.

United believe the situation, first reported by the Telegraph , is rectifiable given the time remaining on Gabriel’s contract. Club officials say the player has a deal to the end of the season and cannot be deregistered despite his request. Gabriel cannot sign a professional contract until he turns 17 in October next year, but can sign a scholarship agreement when he turns 16.

Gabriel, who has been with United since the age of 11, has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects at Carrington in years, scoring a hatful of goals for the youth teams, most recently a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut against Sabah last week. He regularly plays for older age groups at United, scoring 26 goals in 29 games last season, and has made two appearances for England Under-17s. Gabriel is also the most recent, and youngest, winner of United’s prestigious Jimmy Murphy young player of the year award. He has regularly trained with the first team.

Speaking after that 5-0 win over Sabah, Adam Lawrence, United’s lead Under-21 coach, said: “JJ is surrounded by people that really, really believe in him from the top of the club right the way through. He’s been at the club for so long. He’s got real good relationships with the players, with the staff, so I think over the course of time obviously that helps as well.

> “At the moment, just in terms of his game, his games programme, his training programme, it’s about making sure that he’s getting the right exposure across different levels. We’re obviously not perfect but it’s definitely something we put a lot of thought into.”

Barcelona and Manchester City have previously been linked with Gabriel, after reports emerged last year suggesting the player’s family would be planning to move him.

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