Manchester United careful with teenage forward JJ Gabriel after exit request

United handle teenage star with care

Manchester United is dealing with a complicated situation surrounding their highly rated young forward, JJ Gabriel. The 15 year old player has requested to leave the club, creating major waves behind the scenes.

Gabriel was expected to be part of the senior squad for the first time in a competitive match on Wednesday. However, he did not feature in United's 3-2 defeat against Brighton in the Carabao Cup. The news of his camp's request to leave emerged on the eve of that match, leading to his exclusion from the squad.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick spoke about the situation after the cup loss. Carrick confirmed he is active in the conversations regarding the teenager's future. He stressed that the club is taking a cautious approach.

Carrick stated that the club must look after their younger players. He emphasized that their welfare, wellbeing, and exposure are the most important things. Carrick added that everyone at the club must be really conscious of this and very careful with how the situation is handled.

European giants monitor the situation

The young forward recently showed his immense potential on the pitch. Gabriel scored a hat trick for the Under 19 team last Thursday during his debut in the UEFA Youth League.

His talent and his current standoff with Manchester United have caught the attention of major clubs abroad. Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are both keeping a close eye on the situation.

Gabriel is able to move to a European club because he holds an Irish passport. He will celebrate his 16th birthday on October 6, which makes him eligible to sign scholarship forms. However, his current stance means he could leave the club next summer.

What it means for the next game

Fulham vs Manchester United (Premier League, Sun, 20 Sep): Fulham win 30%, draw 25%, Manchester United win 45%; expected goals 1.35 to 1.68. Our safest pick: Under 3.5 goals.