The JJ Gabriel saga added a new chapter after the teenager reportedly turned down an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, making Real Madrid the undisputed favorites to land Manchester United’s disgruntled wonderkid.

You might have never heard of him or much less seen him play, but the 2010-born Gabriel is viewed as a superstar in the making. Manchester United thought they had one of the most exciting talents in the world rising through their ranks, but back in September, Gabriel and his camp formally asked the Red Devils to terminate his contract with the club.

“Broken promises” regarding first-team minutes, as well as issues between the 16-year-old’s family and the club reportedly led to the request. Although United offered him a scholarship contract that prevents Gabriel from leaving for free, his future appears destined to be away from Old Trafford.

Some of the biggest clubs in the world were instantly linked with last season’s U-18 Premier League Player of the Year. But as a bidding war started to brew, Real Madrid looked like the favorites to land Gabriel from the start.

Reports surfaced this week that have many viewing Gabriel’s Bernabéu arrival as only a matter of time.

JJ Gabriel Reportedly Turns Down PSG Move

Although Real Madrid were leading the race for Gabriel, SPORT report PSG hadn’t given up their pursuit and sent a new proposal to the player’s camp with improved economic and sporting terms.

Luis Enrique has regularly used young players during his tenure in Paris, especially over the last two years given his constant rotations to keep his star players fresh for the climax of the season. Former Barcelona teenager Dro Fernández, for example, already has amassed 21 appearances for PSG since joining the club in January.

However, the report indicates Gabriel and his camp have rejected a move to join the back-to-back Champions League winners. The teenager is reportedly not convinced that leaving the Premier League for Ligue 1 is the right move for his development. Instead, Gabriel favors a move to Spain.

Both Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also seemingly out of the race to land Gabriel, leaving the teenager an open road to Spain’s capital and the 15-time European Champions.

Los Blancos are reportedly willing to meet Gabriel’s demands and a deal could be struck as soon as one final hurdle is cleared.

What Must Happen for JJ Gabriel to Join Real Madrid

Seemingly the only thing missing for Gabriel to join Real Madrid is him getting the green light on a valid European Union (EU) passport.

Gabriel was born and raised in England to an Irish father, but he is currently in the process of obtaining a Cypriot passport thanks to his mother’s heritage, which would allow him to complete a move to any EU member nation, such as Spain.

Once Gabriel turned 16 on Oct. 6, he became free to sign a professional contract with any club per FIFA’s regulations regarding minors and transfers overseas.

If Gabriel does finalize a move to Real Madrid, United could be in line to receive somewhere in the neighborhood of £200,000–£300,000 ($265,000–$397,000) as part of FIFA’s training compensation rule—only a fraction of what Gabriel’s future value could be. As a result, Sky Sports reported the Red Devils could consider legal action if Gabriel moves elsewhere in Europe.

There’s still no finalized agreement and the saga could continue into the winter, but it’s starting to look increasingly likely that Real Madrid will welcome one of the brightest young talents in soccer to their ranks.