Real Madrid have reached a verbal agreement with 16-year-old JJ Gabriel over a potential transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu. Gabriel is registered with Manchester United's academy until the end of the season but the Spanish club intends to sign him in January. A FIFA loophole regarding European passports facilitates the move.
As of now, there has been no club-to-club contact between the two sides. The teenager requested to leave Old Trafford in September and has not trained with the club since. Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson commented on the development, stating the 16-year-old is a very good player who could have been a superstar, and expressed frustration over the ruling that allows him to move abroad due to his parents' Irish passports.
Merson noted Manchester United will be gutted to lose a player they have invested in developing. Real Madrid are considered the frontrunners among interested suitors, including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich. Gabriel and his camp felt he deserved more first-team involvement, having trained with the senior squad in pre-season but feeling unsatisfied with limited playing time.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing