Who JJ Gabriel is most likely to join as Man Utd can make certain transfers more difficult

· Mirror

As JJ Gabriel celebrates his 16th birthday, we take a look at the likeliest destinations for the wantaway Manchester United youngster as his future remains uncertain

The saga surrounding Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel could be about to reach a decisive stage after the highly rated teenager turned 16 on Tuesday. Gabriel's birthday means United will be powerless to prevent him from moving abroad if he is able to obtain an EU passport.

Last month, the forward sent shockwaves through Old Trafford by informing the club of his intention to leave. Gabriel is regarded as one of the most promising academy players in world football but has become frustrated with his progress and has been pushing for his registration to be cancelled so he can move elsewhere.

United remain determined to keep him and have been working to persuade Gabriel and his representatives to reconsider. However, there is growing pessimism that they will be able to change his mind, with the teenager seemingly intent on finding a new team.

His situation has sparked a scramble among some of Europe's biggest clubs. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG are among those to have shown an interest, while several Premier League sides are also monitoring developments. Here, Mirror Football examines Gabriel's options and the clubs he could join.

Real Madrid lead overseas interest

A move abroad appears to be the likeliest outcome because Gabriel could leave immediately if he obtains an EU passport through either his father, who represented the Republic of Ireland, or his mother, who is of Greek-Cypriot descent.

British players generally cannot move to clubs overseas before the age of 18 unless they qualify for an exemption, including through possession of an EU passport. A move abroad would also allow Gabriel to bypass Premier League academy registration restrictions, meaning he could join another club immediately rather than having to wait until the end of the season.

Gabriel and his family travelled to Barcelona after formally informing United of his intention to leave, with the teenager now training in the city with a private coach. Barcelona, however, have publicly ruled themselves out of the running for his signature.

That appears to leave Real Madrid as the frontrunners. Los Blancos are understood to be big admirers of Gabriel and, according to Sky Germany, are prepared to offer him an "XXL" contract.

Real Madrid have previous when it comes to making significant financial commitments to teenage prospects. They handed a 16-year-old Martin Odegaard a contract reportedly worth £80,000 a week in 2015, along with a lucrative bonus package.

Gabriel is not expected to receive an offer on that scale given the changes in football's financial landscape and Real Madrid's own circumstances over the past decade. Nevertheless, any deal is expected to be substantial for a player of his age.

Bayern Munich are also understood to have held talks with Gabriel's representatives, while PSG have not given up hope of securing his signature.

If Gabriel does move overseas, United would be entitled to only a modest sum in training compensation, expected to be below £1million, unless they could establish that another club had illegally tapped him up.

What about a move to another English club?

The situation is more complicated if Gabriel decides to remain in England. Under Premier League academy rules, United can prevent Gabriel from joining another English club until the end of the season by retaining his registration.

A player's registration can only be cancelled with the agreement of all parties, unless the Premier League is asked to intervene and decides to make its own ruling. A move overseas would bypass that process.

A domestic transfer would also give United the opportunity to pursue a substantial compensation claim and potentially take the matter to a tribunal. Liverpool were ordered to pay Chelsea £2.8m for Rio Ngumoha after the teenager moved between the clubs' academies in 2024.

All of England's leading clubs, including Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, have shown an interest in Gabriel at various stages. City came close to signing him last year, only for the youngster to ultimately decide to remain at United.

A move to another Premier League club therefore remains possible. But for now, it appears more complicated and less likely than a move overseas, particularly given Gabriel's apparent determination to leave United as soon as possible.

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