Manchester United is in a race against time to keep its 15-year-old attacking prodigy, JJ Gabriel, who has formally requested de-registration. The club is reportedly working intensely to devise a plan to retain the youngster, acknowledging the potential £100,000 training compensation fee if he leaves. Immediate contract termination is unlikely, suggesting a compromise is on the horizon, possibly with Gabriel continuing with the U-18s for a period. Recent gestures, including training with the senior squad, indicate the club's efforts to appease him. Gabriel's Irish and Cypriot heritage, granting him eligibility for a European Union passport, is a significant factor that could facilitate a transfer to a continental club, with Real Madrid being a reported suitor.

Manchester United is in a race against time to keep its 15-year-old attacking prodigy, JJ Gabriel, who has formally requested de-registration. The club is reportedly working intensely to devise a plan to retain the youngster, acknowledging the potential £100,000 training compensation fee if he leaves. Immediate contract termination is unlikely, suggesting a compromise is on the horizon, possibly with Gabriel continuing with the U-18s for a period. Recent gestures, including training with the senior squad, indicate the club's efforts to appease him. Gabriel's Irish and Cypriot heritage, granting him eligibility for a European Union passport, is a significant factor that could facilitate a transfer to a continental club, with Real Madrid being a reported suitor.

Manchester United is in a race against time to keep its 15-year-old attacking prodigy, JJ Gabriel, who has formally requested de-registration. The club is reportedly working intensely to devise a plan to retain the youngster, acknowledging the potential £100,000 training compensation fee if he leaves. Immediate contract termination is unlikely, suggesting a compromise is on the horizon, possibly with Gabriel continuing with the U-18s for a period. Recent gestures, including training with the senior squad, indicate the club's efforts to appease him. Gabriel's Irish and Cypriot heritage, granting him eligibility for a European Union passport, is a significant factor that could facilitate a transfer to a continental club, with Real Madrid being a reported suitor.

If JJ Gabriel ultimately leaves Manchester United, the English side is likely to receive a £100,000 ($134,000) ‘‘training compensation’’ fee, a report said.

However, Manchester United are interested in keeping him and will work until the last minute to keep the 15-year-old attacking prodigy. The club higher-ups are reportedly working round the clock to chalk out a plan, as Gabriel on Monday formally sent a letter requesting de-registration. As per media reports, the club is yet to respond, as the discussions have not found a solution to the dilemma yet. 

Can Manchester United convince Gabriel to stay?

The immediate termination of the deal is highly unlikely, as it is a heavy loss for the club. JJ Gabriel cannot remain on strike until his contract runs out next year, as missing out on so many games will cost him dearly. So, the two parties are likely to come to a compromise, which could see Gabriel playing with the Manchester United U-18s for a few more months.

Gabriel was offered an opportunity to train with the senior squad in recent days. The club was reportedly open to including him in the squad for the UEFA Champions League game against Sabah and the EFL Cup game against Brighton. These are now seen as initial steps taken by the club to calm the teenager down. 

READ HERE | Manchester United shocked: Real Madrid worked on JJ Gabriel deal secretly for months?

As per The Athletic, Manchester United's contingency plan included offering the teenager a scholar contract immediately after his 16th birthday next month, including a commitment to sign him on professional terms when he turns 17 — the minimum age for a player to sign a professional contract in England. There are special rules, separate registrations, and distinct contractual statuses for academy players.

"Chief executive Omar Berrada is involved and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also aware of developments... United feel they would not be beaten by anyone in terms of a financial commitment to the player. But Gabriel’s intentions seem clear, so in that sense United must play a waiting game," it said.

Why Gabriel’s passport matters?

As per the report, Gabriel is homeschooled — meaning he is not part of the club's school setup. The youngster is of Irish and Cypriot descent and is thus eligible for a European Union passport, which could make a move to any team on the continent possible. It is not known if he already possesses one, which could make things difficult for United.

What do FIFA rules say about transfer of academy stars?

FIFA's minor-transfer rules, which primarily concern international transfers, also come into the picture. As a general principle, the governing body has prohibited the international transfer of players under the age of 18. However, the minor-application rules come with specific exceptions. These are:

  • Parents migrating due to non-football reasons
  • Humanitarian crisis
  • Academic switch: An exchange programme or similar where the youngster has to travel without their parents. Even then, there are restrictions on the type of club the youngster joins in the destination country.
  • 50 km rule: An exception can be provided if the youngster's home is within 50 km of a border, and the club he wants to join is within 50 km of the same border. The distance between the player's home and the club cannot exceed 100 km.
  • First-registration exception: If the minor is not a national of the country where they want to register, but has lived continuously in that country for at least five years, they can potentially be registered there. However, it is mandatory that he/she has never previously been registered with another club.
  •  Moving within EU/EEA: As per a report, "a player who is at least 16 but under 18 can move between clubs in the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA), provided the new club satisfies FIFA's requirements concerning football training, education, accommodation/supervision and welfare." This is the exception that may work in favour of Real Madrid and JJ Gabriel.


Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel got the attention of the world when a YouTube video of him on the ball went viral on the internet. He was nine years old when channel SV2 uploaded his video – highlighting exceptional ball control and dribbling skills. This has earned him the nickname "Kid Messi" ever since. 

Apart from being the fox in the box, the youngster is effective as a right-winger as well. Gabriel has already signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, something that not many players of his age can boast about.

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