JJ Gabriel closes in on Man Utd exit as Carrick speaks volumes after Romano reveals current ‘situation’

JJ Gabriel is reportedly ‘closing in’ on a Manchester United exit, while head coach Michael Carrick has indirectly sent a message to the starlet.

The 15-year-old, who turns 16 next month, is one of the Premier League’s best teenage footballers, and he has informed Man Utd that he has decided to leave.

Gabriel could leave Man Utd within a couple of weeks and he has been attracting interest from several top European clubs after it emerged that he and his family have fallen out with the club’s hierarchy.

In recent days, it has emerged that he has travelled to Barcelona to potentially hold talks with the Spanish giants, but Fabrizio Romano said on Saturday that he not yet close to joining them.

“That’s the situation, conversations, talks, but it’s not the player flying to talk with Barcelona because otherwise it looks like, first of all, that the player is directly involved, and at the moment, not yet,” Romano explained.

“He is not yet at that stage, and also the player in this moment is waiting to understand which club is going to be the best solution for his future. So, I will tell you more on JJ Gabriel in the next days, but we are not yet at the stage of the player travelling to close a deal.

“Not yet. So, for this weekend, we can stay quiet. We will see what happens in the next weeks.”

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke, meanwhile, has stated that Gabriel is ‘closing in’ on an exit from Man Utd, while he is likely to move abroad rather than join another Premier League.

“Obviously, JJ Gabriel is one of the most hotly tipped young talents in world football right now,” O’Rourke told Football Insider.

“He has been branded ‘Kid Messi’ at Man United because of his exploits for their Under-18s last season when he finished as their top scorer and helped them reach the FA Youth Cup final.

“He’s expected to go on and enjoy a hugely successful career. Manchester United hoped it would be with them, but it does look like he is keen to move on for a new challenge.

“Look, when you’ve got such a young talent like this, you’re going to have all the best clubs across Europe interested in him. Real Madrid have been strongly linked, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG all interested.”

Michael Carrick’s comments on Shea Lacey speak volumes

Carrick has not been too outspoken about Gabriel’s situation, but his praise for fellow youngster Shea Lacey speaks volumes when you contrast their standing at Man Utd.

“It was amazing for Shea and his family and everyone at the academy, connected to the academy, I think to bring Shea through on his journey and to see him start a game at Old Trafford,” Carrick told reporters.

“And for him to do what he does best. I’ve seen him do that on the pitches outside there [at Carrington] quite a few times and that’s his little spot, you know? Getting there and turning on his left foot and coming inside.

“That’s it [providing more encouragement to those in the U21s and U18s]. To have continued moments like that. The history of this club is littered with them. You could go on forever talking about them and that’s the magic of it. That’s the beauty of it.

“That’s why so many people in the academy work so hard and it’s what this club has been built upon. So Shea’s had that next moment, or the current moment I should say, and we’ll see who brings it on to having the next opportunity because we always look forward to the next one.”