Youth football in England has received shockwaves after Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel sent a formal request to immediately leave the club.
Gabriel, who was previously nicknamed “Kid Messi”, has widely been hailed as the future of the club, has reportedly requested the immediate termination of his registration, according to The Telegraph.
Gabriel is regarded as one of the most highly rated prospects in Manchester United's academy, and his request represents a significant development for the club.
He has been touted as a player who could make his professional debut for the club this season, having played in a friendly earlier this summer.
Why JJ Gabriel Wants to Leave Manchester United and Become a Free Agent
JJ Gabriel's reported request comes days after he deleted posts relating to Manchester United from his Instagram account.
Initially, not much was made of the action, as he had just attracted attention after scoring a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut against Azerbaijani outfit Sabah FK.
The youngster is set to turn 16 on October 6, at which point he would become eligible to sign an official scholarship agreement at Old Trafford.
Gabriel has no obvious suitors lined up yet, but the request could allow him to explore opportunities elsewhere if the registration is terminated.
The Premier League regulations state that for the termination of the registration of a youth player to be ratified, there needs to be an agreement between the club, player, and his parents to this effect.
If an agreement cannot be reached, the matter can be referred to the Premier League for a decision on the player's registration.
Why JJ Gabriel’s Potential Exit Would Be a Major Blow for Manchester United
Manchester United have identified JJ Gabriel as the future of the club and treated the youngster as such since he joined them as an 11-year-old.
The versatile forward was promoted through the ranks at a rapid pace, and has been playing for the U21s this season, despite being only 15 years old.
He became the youngest player in the club's history to win the Young Player of the Year award last season, and was named as the Player of the Season in the U-18 Premier League.
The teenager earned a place in Michael Carrick's squad for pre-season, where he became the youngest-ever player to represent the club in their friendly against Atletico Madrid.
Gabriel has never been short of suitors, with Manchester City and Barcelona credited with formal approaches to the youngster.
In a recent podcast episode, Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand have previously discussed Gabriel's development, with the pair comparing aspects of his potential to Wayne Rooney.
His potential departure on a free would represent a major blow to United's long-term talent retention plans under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS hierarchy.
The Red Devils had intended for him to be with the first-team for their Carabao Cup meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion this week, but it remains to be seen if that remains the case after his request.
Manchester United will now hope to resolve the registration situation and convince Gabriel to remain at the club rather than lose one of their most highly rated academy prospects.
