Liverpool has already suffered a transfer blow at the hands of Real Madrid, but now rivals Manchester United is set to suffer a similar fate with its academy star

Liverpool already suffered a transfer blow at the hands of Real Madrid when Trent Alexander-Arnold made the move from Merseyside to the Spanish capital, and now Manchester United is set to suffer the same fate.

The Reds had brought through the right-back as an academy prospect, seeing him quickly develop from a promising star to a regular starter featuring at the very top. A crossroads was reached last year when the defender entered the final few months of his contract, with a decision to be made about whether to stay with Liverpool or move elsewhere.

In the end, Real Madrid put forward a more tempting deal than Liverpool's, and Alexander-Arnold made the controversial decision to join the Spanish giants instead.

It was met with clear frustration from the fanbase, as the academy graduate made it clear that he had intentions of winning the Ballon d'Or, clearly believing that his best chance of doing so would be with Los Blancos instead of the Reds.

While it hasn't exactly worked out for Alexander-Arnold in the time since, as he finds himself third-choice in the pecking order under Jose Mourinho this season, it hasn't exactly been easy for Liverpool either, with the right-back role being an awkward one to find a guaranteed starter for, since his exit,

Links have naturally emerged regarding an exit from Real Madrid, a move that hasn't worked out for any party since, but it seems as though Man United could be seeing a repeat of that situation play out in real time.

Youngster JJ Gabriel has shown plenty of promise in the youth ranks, with many suggesting he could be the next big player coming through at Old Trafford. However, his recent push to leave the club has seen Real Madrid close in on a deal that will see the 16-year-old move to Spain.

While no club-to-club discussions have been held over JJ Gabriel's registration rights as of yet, there is every expectation that the forward will end up in the Spanish capital.

While there are clear parallels between Liverpool's case and Man United's now, with an academy star going on to be poached by Real Madrid, the parallels run deeper, given the latest interview by the youngster.

Speaking to Marca on Friday, he was handed a copy of the newspaper, which featured him on the front that he asked to keep. Responding to a quick question on his future, he responded: "My dream is to win a Ballon d'Or."

That will be all too familiar for Liverpool fans with Alexander-Arnold's situation, but those supporters may say that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and for a youngster like JJ Gabriel, it remains to be seen whether such a move will help or hinder his career.

Considering the quality in attack at Real Madrid, there will be a task for him to get in ahead of the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Yan Diomande, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo.

With the saga seemingly coming to a close, the main question is whether the move will work.