Manchester United are fighting a losing battle to keep hold of their academy wonderkid JJ Gabriel.
Last month, Gabriel was nearing a historic senior debut with the Red Devils, but things took a surprising turn when he requested the cancellation of his registration, sparking interest from Europe’s top clubs.
Manchester United send contract offer to JJ Gabriel
The Guardian recently revealed that United have made the winger an official scholarship contract offer.
It is believed that Gabriel, who recently turned 16, would have been able to leave for a rival club for nothing in January if the club had not offered him a formal scholarship for next season.
Now, any Premier League club must negotiate a fee directly with United for the player. If one is not reached, compensation will be set by a Professional Football Compensation Committee tribunal.
It is claimed Gabriel favours a move to Europe, where compensation would be significantly lower.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are all said to be monitoring developments.
Real Madrid confident of winning JJ Gabriel race
On Sunday, journalist José Félix Díaz via Diario AS on Instagram reported that Real Madrid are now confident of signing JJ Gabriel.
It is understood the La Liga giants are waiting for the United sensation’s final decision.
However, given Gabriel is contracted to United until the end of the season, it remains unclear when exactly he would be able to move to the Spanish capital.
🚨💣 UPDATE: Real Madrid are now confident of SIGNING JJ Gabriel.
They are waiting for his FINAL DECISION. @jfelixdiaz pic.twitter.com/s6IDEqp8CR
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) October 11, 2026
Furthermore, Gabriel’s camp were thought to be determined for the youngster to make first-team appearances for United as soon as possible before pushing for an exit.
It would be interesting to see how many minutes he would get under Jose Mourinho at Real, who is blessed with some of the most high-profile wingers in Europe.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
