Real Madrid believe they have won the race to sign Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel, who has walked out on the club after giving formal notice to cancel his registration.
Gabriel, who turned 16 in October, decided in September to leave Man Utd after reportedly growing frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities. The teenager has since been training individually in Spain.
Gabriel's next move
Gabriel will now be able to sign scholarship terms with another club, and Real Madrid are confident they have won the race for the highly rated youngster after stiff competition from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. Gabriel's European Union passport is expected to make a move abroad easier.
United would be entitled to compensation if he leaves, although the amount would be lower should, as expected, he join a club outside the Premier League. A transfer 'fee' of £8.5million has been reported elsewhere.
Rising reputation
The forward has already built a strong reputation, scoring a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut and being named Premier League Under-18 Player of the Season last term, despite being only 14 for much of the campaign.
A United source previously described him as “the best 15-year-old in Europe”, while former interim manager Darren Fletcher said: “The world is his oyster.” United head coach Michael Carrick has urged caution over the situation, stressing the importance of protecting the teenager's welfare and well-being.
Expected conclusion
But the transfer saga appears to be close to a conclusion. Gabriel is expected to join Madrid's youth team, Castilla, who play in the second division of Spanish football, and would also play in the UEFA Youth League.
