Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel turned 16 on Tuesday, opening the door for him to sign for a European club. The teenager, who has not played a single minute for United's first team, has seen his future become headline news across Europe, such is his potential.
This summer, United made their first move to integrate him into the senior squad. Gabriel was included in pre-season trips and featured against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm. Once the season started, he continued to train with the senior squad while featuring for United's U21s.
Promising start and sudden rift
The promise shown in pre-season was replicated for the academy. Gabriel bagged two goals and two assists against Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the Premier League 2, before an impressive hat-trick against Sabah FK in the UEFA Youth League. That display proved to be his last for the club.
Since then, Gabriel's camp informed United that they wanted him to leave. The teenager's representatives were unhappy at the club's decision not to include him in the Champions League squad to face Sabah FK. United's plan was to hand Gabriel his debut in the Carabao Cup against Brighton, but that was taken off the table as the then 15-year-old departed Carrington and began training in Castelldefels, Barcelona.
European clubs monitoring the situation
Due to his age, little could be resolved with Gabriel's future until yesterday. Now 16, and thanks to having an EU passport, he can agree a deal with a club within the European Union. Barcelona sporting director Deco recently insisted the Catalan giants were not entertaining a move for Gabriel. However, it is understood Barca are among the clubs monitoring the situation, along with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. In England, Chelsea are understood to be keen.
With the transfer conversation set to heat up, one man will soon become integral in this saga. Ali Barat is representing Gabriel and has forged an impressive CV of transfers. Barat, who was born in Iran but grew up in London supporting Chelsea, was responsible for 15 transfers in the 2025 summer transfer window, including Dean Huijsen's move from Bournemouth to Real Madrid and Nicolas Jackson's switch from Chelsea to Bayern Munich.
Barat's philosophy and family ties
Unlike other agents, Barat likes to publicise his successes. After completing Jackson's transfer, his Epic Sports agency released a triumphant press release. "Where others react, he builds," the release said about Barat. "Where others stall, he delivers."
Growing up, Barat was obsessed with the computer game Championship Manager - latterly known as Football Manager - and enjoyed discovering gems before they became stars. This passion for unearthing wonderkids has bled into his approach as an agent. At Epic Sports, Barat has scouts across Europe, Africa and South America, looking for the next big stars.
In an interview with Forbes in 2025 after being named the Best Agent for the second time in three years at the European Golden Boy ceremony, Barat explained his philosophy. "In my opinion, standing out as a soccer agent is really about three fundamentals: strategy, trust and execution," he explained. "Strategy begins with acknowledging that every negotiation must fit into a long-term career architecture, never just a one-off transaction.
"Trust is the real currency in this business. It comes from aligning the interests of the player, the selling club and the buying club, and then consistently delivering on your promises. Execution is about discipline under pressure: knowing how to manage timing, maintaining calm when emotions run high and making the right decision in the critical moment.
"But the foundation of our work lies in the strong relationships we build with players and their families. Families are central to our decision-making, and the trust they place in us is the key to building sustainable careers.
"That is why, from the beginning, we have prioritised the concept of representing a small, elite group of top-level players and high-potential talents rather than managing a vast portfolio like many of the bigger agencies. This allows us to provide all-round support and tailor every detail to the individual player's career."
Family dreams and inevitable exit
Building that connection with the family of Gabriel is perhaps why Barat is the teenager's agent. Gabriel's father Joe O'Cearuill is heavily involved in his son's career. The 39-year-old was a professional footballer and represented the Republic of Ireland on two occasions. O'Cearuill has been reported as one of the driving forces behind the rift between United and Gabriel. It is understood Gabriel's family have dreamt of their son playing for Barcelona. Unlike many youngsters across the world, United may never have been the end goal for the young forward.
In that same interview with Forbes, Barat insisted that talent alone was not enough for him to work with a player. He also wished to see what the support network around them looked like. "Identifying talent is only the first step. What really matters is long-term planning, because it's never just about moving a player somewhere: It's about building a clear career path," he added. "We look at a player's potential and room for growth, but we also take into account his mentality and character. From there, we map out a realistic plan to help them achieve their goals in close collaboration with their families, because they are central to every decision."
What becomes clear studying Barat is that he is more than just another agent. He will have set out an ambitious career path for Gabriel to take him to the top of football. This could explain why Gabriel's camp pulled the plug so early at United. At the first sign of things not going by the pre-agreed plan, the instinct was to change environment. Barat will become crucial in the weeks and months ahead as Gabriel's next step becomes clear. With the ambition of Barat and Gabriel's family clear, it seems United are powerless to stop his inevitable exit.
