Manchester United have been dealt an awkward blow after 15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel requested to leave the club, throwing his future at Old Trafford into serious doubt.
The timing could hardly be worse for United. Gabriel had been pencilled in for his first involvement in a competitive matchday squad this Wednesday against Brighton in the Carabao Cup, a move that would have made him the youngest player in the club's history. That milestone now looks in jeopardy.
Gabriel is the son of Joe O'Cearuill, who played for St Patrick's Athletic and won two caps for the Republic of Ireland. The teenager has trained with Michael Carrick's first-team squad and already made his senior debut off the bench in United's August friendly against Atletico Madrid.
There is still hope inside the club that the situation can be resolved. Gabriel's contract runs until the summer, and under the rules he cannot be deregistered before then. But according to the Daily Mail, Barcelona are very interested in the youngster, who holds an Irish passport and would therefore be free to move to a club in Europe once he turns 16 in October.
A Rough Week Made Rougher
The request comes just days after one of the best nights of Gabriel's young career. He scored a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut as United beat Sabah 5-0. Speaking after that win, Adam Lawrence, United's professional development phase lead who coached the side, praised the environment around the teenager.
"JJ is surrounded by people that really, really believe in him from the top of the club right the way through," Lawrence said. "He's been at the club for so long. He's got real good relationships with the players, with the staff, so I think over the course of time obviously that helps as well."
Lawrence added that United were being careful with how they managed Gabriel's development. "At the moment, just in terms of his game, his games programme, his training programme, it's about making sure that he's getting the right exposure across different levels. We're obviously not perfect but it's definitely something we put a lot of thought into, so it's good to see him enjoying his football in a good place."
Gabriel's profile has grown rapidly outside the pitch too. He has amassed 844,000 followers on Instagram, though the account was recently wiped of all posts. Last season he became the youngest ever winner of United's Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.
For now, United are left hoping they can talk one of their most promising academy products into staying, with Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie against Brighton suddenly carrying an extra layer of uncertainty.
