Bayern Munich have joined the race to sign wantaway Manchester United starlet JJ Gabriel, but they will not meet the seven-figure salary demands, according to reports. The 16-year-old stunned the Red Devils when he expressed his desire to leave the club with a host of European juggernauts circling.
Talks reignited with Gabriel's family
According to The Times, the Bundesliga champions have reignited talks with Gabriel's family having held initial conversations in May. Gabriel is now able to transfer to European clubs thanks to his EU passport after turning 16 on Tuesday, while youngsters from the United Kingdom cannot move overseas until they reach 18.
Bayern's interest is said to be "serious" with manager Vincent Kompany a keen admirer of the youngster. However, the club are reluctant to match his wage demands.
Departure request after Champions League snub
A departure request from United was lodged after the 16-year-old's representatives wanted him to make his senior debut in the Champions League against Sabah. Michael Carrick's team had intended to hand the then-15 year old his bow against Brighton and Hove Albion but his representatives voiced their wish to leave on the night before the fixture.
United are refusing to cancel his contract meaning that he will be prevented from joining a domestic competitor until his deal runs out this summer.
Barcelona and Real Madrid battle
Spanish powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid are seemingly locked in a battle for his signature, with Gabriel training in Castelldefels in Barcelona following the recent uncertainty surrounding his future. Real Madrid and the Catalan giants have entered into discussions over the signing of the 16-year-old, who netted a hat-trick in United's Youth League victory against Sabah.
However, Barcelona sporting director Deco has trodden carefully when addressing the matter, with both La Liga heavyweights mindful of the delicate nature of such a transfer.
Compensation and legal hurdles
Regulations governing the signing of under-18 players opens the door to potential legal avenues for United to explore. Reports have indicated that a move to Europe for Gabriel could set a club back millions, with figures of around £300,000 cited as a potential windfall for securing the highly-regarded teenager. By contrast, a domestic move within England could command significantly more, with Liverpool famously having to pay Chelsea in excess of £2million for Rio Ngumoha following a tribunal ruling.
The MEN revealed this week that United can, and are widely expected to, offer Gabriel scholarship terms in order to satisfy compensation requirements. Whichever club secures the youngster's signature will need to submit a formal request to FIFA, demonstrating its ability to meet obligations surrounding football development, education, welfare and related matters. That said, it has been suggested that Gabriel's representatives would not have pursued the move had they not been confident of navigating the hurdles that lie ahead.
