“In the case of JJ, I saw him grow up, he played in [my son] Kai’s team and I think, to be honest, everyone saw it coming,” former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney told talkSPORT. The 16-year-old attacking midfielder JJ Gabriel is poised to complete a move from Manchester United to Real Madrid, multiple outlets reported, after walking away from United’s Carrington training ground in September over a dispute regarding first-team playing time.

Eurosport reported that Gabriel, considered one of the Red Devils’ greatest prospects, is expected at Madrid as early as January, with the teenager having already begun training in the Spanish capital according to Yahoo Actualités. The move comes after Gabriel turned 16 in October, allowing him under FIFA regulations to join a club abroad once the governing body approves the transfer and confirms compensation to United, which talkSPORT reported could be as low as £300,000.

Real Madrid Leads Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG in Race for Gabriel

Yahoo Actualités reported that Real Madrid has pulled ahead of FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, the Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea to secure Gabriel’s services. Goal.com cited Sky Sports in reporting that the young prodigy and Real Madrid have already reached a verbal agreement in principle, though no definitive deal has been concluded and Bayern and PSG remain in contention. Christian Falk of Bild told his cfbayerninsider site that Bayern still had “real chances” to sign Gabriel, with discussions continuing between the German club and the player’s entourage.

Sofoot cited Marca in reporting that an agreement between Real Madrid and Gabriel’s camp was close to being found, noting that the player had posted an Instagram story showing him training on a pitch in Madrid. Sport.fr, however, offered a contrasting account, reporting that Gabriel and his family were leaning clearly toward Barcelona, with English journalist Steven Railston stating the player had already trained at La Masia in Catalonia. Eurosport framed the move as a bet on Gabriel’s part to make his mark at a club where highly touted young players have not always succeeded.

Playing Time Dispute Triggered September Departure

Gabriel has not trained with Manchester United since leaving the club before a Carabao Cup match against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sept. 16, Yahoo Actualités reported. The outlet detailed that Gabriel was scheduled to make his first-team debut in that fixture, but his representatives asked the club to cancel his registration after demanding he receive at least 20 minutes of total playing time across matches against Sabah FK, Brighton and Bournemouth before discussing a scholarship contract. Despite repeated attempts by United’s leadership to re-establish dialogue, the player’s family remained determined to leave.

Goal.com reported that Gabriel had been with the Red Devils since age 11 and scored 23 goals in 23 matches for the U18 side last season, earning Premier League U18 Player of the Year honors. In August, he made his professional debut, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to appear for the first team. Sport.fr provided slightly different figures, stating Gabriel scored 26 goals last season and has added five goals and two assists this season while playing in age groups above his own.

Irish Passport Unlocks Early EU Transfer

Under Brexit-related rules, Gabriel would normally be barred from moving to a club in another country until age 18, Goal.com reported. However, Yahoo Actualités stated that the teenager holds an Irish passport, which would allow him to join an EU club once FIFA approves the transfer. Goal.com separately cited Sky Sports in reporting that Gabriel wished to apply for a Cypriot passport, which would similarly enable a move as early as January.

Rooney, who watched Gabriel’s progress in youth teams alongside his own son Kai, added that the departure did not surprise him. “There was perhaps a desire to play abroad, perhaps in Spain,” Rooney told talkSPORT. “We have to remember he is 15, he is still a child. That represents a lot of pressure and we hope decisions are made for the right reasons.” He also praised former teammate Michael Carrick for handling the situation well after the Brighton match, telling talkSPORT: “With everything going on at Man United, this affair has taken on such magnitude that we forget a child is involved.”

Real Madrid’s Mixed Record With Young Attacking Talent

Eurosport examined the history of young players at Real Madrid, noting that Gabriel would join the club’s reserve team, Castilla, with no guarantee of first-team minutes. The outlet cited Martin Ødegaard, who arrived from Strømsgodset IF at 16 in 2015, spent a season with Castilla, then moved through loans at Heerenveen and Arsenal before becoming captain of the Gunners. Ødegaard told The Players’ Tribune that Spanish press “persecuted” him for not immediately meeting expectations and suggested he might have been given more time to develop had he been Spanish.

Other recent arrivals have had varied fortunes, Eurosport reported. Franco Mastantuono briefly earned Xabi Alonso’s trust after signing at 17, though he officially joined at 18 after a season at River Plate, before being loaned to Fiorentina for the 2026-27 season. Endrick arrived from Palmeiras at 18 after signing his contract at 16 in 2022, received some playing time, but was later sent on loan to Lyon. Conversely, Vinícius Júnior came close to winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or after overcoming a difficult spell, while Rodrygo scored a memorable brace in the 2022 Champions League semifinal against Manchester City.

The path through Castilla is not a guarantee of success, Eurosport noted, pointing to Nico Paz, who left for Como in 2024 and triggered a buyback clause arrangement for millions this summer, Gonzalo García, who joined Fulham for millions, and Víctor Muñoz, who moved to Osasuna in 2025 before joining Liverpool with a sell-on clause benefiting Real Madrid. Eurosport also cited Achraf Hakimi, who was formed at the club and launched by Zinedine Zidane in 2017, spent two years on loan at Dortmund from 2018 to 2020, then moved permanently to Inter Milan. Hakimi told Marca that Madrid had not exercised a buyback priority when he joined Inter and had not bet on him during his time at the club, despite his becoming a top player at a young age.

FIFA Approval Remains Final Hurdle

Gabriel will continue training in Madrid in the coming days while awaiting FIFA’s final administrative approval, Yahoo Actualités reported. Once the world governing body validates the compensation amount due to Manchester United, the teenager can officially join his new academy teammates in Spain.

Frequently Asked Questions About JJ Gabriel’s Transfer

• How old is JJ Gabriel? Gabriel turned 16 in October, according to Yahoo Actualités. Sport.fr previously reported him as 15, but multiple outlets including Goal.com and Sofoot confirm he is now 16.
• Yahoo Actualités reported that Gabriel’s representatives demanded at least 20 minutes of playing time across three matches before discussing a scholarship contract, and when this was not guaranteed, they asked United to cancel his registration for the Sept. 16 Carabao Cup match against Brighton.
• Which clubs were interested in signing JJ Gabriel? Yahoo Actualités reported that Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG and Chelsea all showed interest, with Madrid reportedly pulling ahead according to talkSPORT.
• How much will Manchester United receive for JJ Gabriel? talkSPORT reported the compensation could be as low as £300,000, pending FIFA approval of the transfer amount.
• Under Brexit rules he normally could not until 18, Goal.com reported, but Yahoo Actualités stated he holds an Irish passport, while Goal.com cited Sky Sports saying he seeks a Cypriot passport, either of which would allow the move once FIFA approves it.

Rooney concluded his remarks by emphasizing the human element of the transfer saga. “I listened to Michael Carrick speak about it after the Brighton match and I thought he expressed himself very well,” he told talkSPORT.