Talks Held: Ben Jacobs Drops Update on JJ Gabriel Man Utd Future

· GiveMeSport

Ben Jacobs has shared an update on the future of JJ Gabriel at Man Utd as he turns 16.

Manchester United are still fighting to keep hold of superstar teenager JJ Gabriel at Old Trafford, but a number of Europe's elite clubs have held talks about getting a deal over the line, according to GIVEMESPORT senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs.

The sensational forward rocked the Red Devils last month by formally requesting to be released from his registration at the club , having not been involved in the first-team games against Ipswich and Sabah in the early parts of the season.

Man Utd were taken back by the news, with the player originally planned to be part of the squad for the EFL Cup game against Brighton the following day, before he refused to train and demanded to be allowed to leave.

The player's age would usually mean that he is unable to leave the club until he is 18. However, it has now emerged that Gabriel has got an Irish and Cypriot passport, allowing him to move to Europe upon turning 16 on October 6th.

Speaking about JJ Gabriel's future now that he has turned 16 in his latest GIVEMESPORT newsletter , Ben Jacobs revealed that Man Utd are going to put up a fight to keep the player, or at least get what they deem to be acceptable compensation should he push through an exit, while admitting that the situation remains complicated.

> "Now, because he's turned 16 and can move with the right passport, Irish or Cypriot, to Europe, you have lots of interest from elite clubs, and now the player's 16, he can seek formal representation," he said.

> "Manchester United are still hoping to salvage the situation and Chelsea have been interested in JJ Gabriel, but their perspective is he's moving abroad to a European club.

> "But Manchester United still get a say in all of this, and it's worth noting that JJ Gabriel can't just go. The family have to show relocation and a non-football-related income prompting the move, and then at that point, the player would have the ability to make the switch, despite the fact that his registration with Manchester United runs until the summer."

Gabriel is widely regarded to be one of the top young talents in world football, which has made his potential exit from Old Trafford even tougher to take for some at the club.

His quality is further confirmed by the standard of clubs that are pushing to get a deal done, with Jacobs revealing that a number of sides have already held talks, despite some public declarations stating otherwise.

> "I did an interview with Deco in Portugal a few weeks ago and in that interview, Deco said that Barcelona are not working on JJ Gabriel, and yet there have been meetings, so I don't think we can yet say Barcelona are 100% out of the race, but publicly, Deco has downplayed their chances.

> "In addition, Real Madrid still remain one of the leading contenders. Bayern Munich and PSG are two clubs that have held talks as well.

> "Manchester United are not expected to cancel the registration for an English club, so was JJ Gabriel to say he's interested in Chelsea or Manchester City, who have tried in the past to sign him, then this would likely be more for summer and things would calm down, whereas if the player wants to go now, it's much more likely because of the passport situation and the circumstances that I've outlined that he goes to Europe.

> "So Real Madrid, Barcelona, despite Deco's denial, have held some meetings as well, and then you've got Bayern Munich and PSG as four leading clubs, and no doubt there'll be more as well, because JJ Gabriel is seen as an elite talent, and then there's a few big super agents in and around this deal that can now either pitch to the player or have mandates for particular big clubs that could be involved as well, and that's why there's a lot of noise.

> "Because so many clubs either have pitched or will pitch, and now JJ Gabriel has two things to decide. One, where he wants to go, and two, if, legally, with his Manchester United registration, he can go there, and again I reiterate what I said before, it's not just about a choice of club and a passport; it's also, if it's a move to Europe, about the family having to show non-football income, and that is also why they are choosing to relocate."

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