Manchester United have been left confused and shocked by the news that the talented 15-year-old player JJ Gabriel has asked to leave the club, a day before he was to be included in the first-team squad to face Brighton.
Gabriel could have become United’s youngest player in the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday. But the Guardian understands he has asked for his registration to be cancelled.
United are unsure what has prompted this decision and believe they have done everything they can to show Gabriel and his family there is a pathway to the first team. Those efforts have included meetings with Ruben Amorim, when the Portuguese was head coach, and Sir Alex Ferguson.
United believe the situation, first reported by the Telegraph, is rectifiable given the time remaining on Gabriel’s contract. Club officials say the player has a deal to the end of the season and cannot be deregistered despite his request. The north London-born Gabriel cannot sign a professional contract until he turns 17 in October next year, but can sign a scholarship agreement when he turns 16.
Gabriel, who has been with United since the age of 11, has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects at Carrington in years, scoring a hatful of goals for the youth teams, most recently a hat-trick on his Uefa Youth League debut against Sabah last week. He regularly plays for older age groups at United, scoring 26 goals in 29 games last season, and has made two appearances for England Under-17s. Gabriel is also the most recent, and youngest, winner of United’s prestigious Jimmy Murphy young player of the year award. He has regularly trained with the first team.
Quick GuideCarrick say VAR blunder will fuel United
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Michael Carrick believes Manchester United will have an edge against Brighton in the Carabao Cup owing to the wrong video assistant referee decision that allowed Erling Haaland’s winner in Sunday’s defeat by Manchester City.
United host Fabian Hürzeler’s side on Wednesday aiming to bounce back after Haaland’s 60th-minute strike was judged to be legal by the VAR, who ruled that Enzo Fernández was not interfering with play in the buildup. Pro Ref admitted the goal should not have been allowed and that Matt Donohue, the VAR, had made the wrong decision. He has been stood down for this weekend’s Premier League action.
Carrick, speaking before Pro Ref’s statement, was asked whether his players would have an edge against Brighton owing to their annoyance at ruling.
“It does give you something, when something like that happens, to use moving forward,” the manager said. “The players have got an edge. They’ve shown that to me since I’ve been here. We’ve had setbacks, and they’ve bounced back particularly well and had some really good performances and good results.”
United have taken four points from their first four games. “We’ve got to move on [from City loss]; we’ve got to win games,” said Carrick. “We have done – we’ve won a lot of games, and we need to continue to do that. I understand it’s a new season, and the points tally right now is not what we want it to be. I’m not hiding from that, but it’s more of about getting back to winning games, that feeling, getting the habit. It’s easier said than done, but we’re capable of it.”
Luke Shaw may be available after a knock. Jamie Jackson
Speaking after that 5-0 win against Sabah, Adam Lawrence, United’s lead under-21 coach, said: “JJ is surrounded by people that really, really believe in him from the top of the club right the way through. 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.
“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.”
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Barcelona and Manchester City have been linked previously with Gabriel, after reports emerged last year suggesting the player’s family would be planning to move him.