Manchester United are facing a mounting crisis on and off the pitch, with 15-year-old talent JJ Gabriel reportedly set to leave the club and Wayne Rooney questioning Benjamin Sesko's mentality over his injury.
United are currently 12th in the Premier League, with their only domestic win this season coming in a 5-2 comeback against newly-promoted Ipswich in August. Carrick's side have kept just one clean sheet in seven matches across all competitions, with criticism mounting over a failure to revamp an inadequate defence in the summer transfer window.
JJ Gabriel 'will definitely leave' United
German publication Bild has reported that JJ Gabriel "will definitely leave United" and will exit by next summer at the latest. It seems almost certain he will be leaving the Premier League, with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain all vying for his signature, reports the Mirror.
The decision will undoubtedly disappoint many United supporters who had hoped to see Gabriel become the face of the team. Prior to joining United in 2022, Gabriel had stints with Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham, but now appears set for a move to Europe.
The young player's prospects of securing a move to one of the European powerhouses are boosted by his likely ease in obtaining an EU passport. Any non-EU citizen would be barred from playing for the first team of clubs like Barcelona or Bayern until their 18th birthday.
However, Gabriel's path should be eased as his mother is Cypriot and his father, Joe, represented the Republic of Ireland. That said, Bild's report suggests that he and his team are currently leaning towards a move to Spain.
Rooney questions Sesko injury
A lack of immediate title prospects is reportedly a significant factor in Gabriel's decision-making. After having a request to be de-registered at United turned down, it seems only a matter of time before the club's brightest star departs.
Wayne Rooney has added his voice to the chorus of former United stars questioning Benjamin Sesko's mentality following his injury woes. The striker recently withdrew from Slovenia's international squad, having missed Sunday's 1-1 draw against Fulham due to a shin injury.
It's the same problem that has been troubling the 6ft 5in forward since the end of last season when he fell awkwardly at the side of the pitch. United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt each questioned the setback on The Good, The Bad and The Football, particularly given United's current shortage of forward options.
Butt remarked: "you either break your shin, or you play" as he seemed to question Sesko's determination. Rooney has also pondered whether Sesko possesses the necessary grit to represent his old club. He said: "Shin? Has he broken it?"
"You can hurt your shin, you can take tackles... I bet he's wearing them little stupid shinpads as well," he quipped on the Stick to United podcast. "If you're trying to play No. 9 [for United] and you've got a must-win game and you've got a sore shin and you're not playing... that's a big part of the problem."
"Unless you physically can't play, you play when you're injured. I remember before games we used to get injections and the doctor used to put them in your backside."
