Manchester United prodigy JJ Gabriel wants Barcelona move ‘at all costs’ – report

Manchester United prodigy JJ Gabriel wants Barcelona move ‘at all costs’ – report Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel is pushing for a move to Barcelona, despite sporting director Deco previously making it clear that the Catalan club was not interested in signing him. According to SPORT , Gabriel wants to leave Old Trafford and wants to play for Barcelona ‘at all costs’, with several major European clubs also monitoring his situation.  As such, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are among the clubs interested in the highly rated teenager. The situation could become more interesting in January, with Gabriel potentially available without a transfer fee if the conditions surrounding his departure fall into place. JJ Gabriel transfer depends on Cypriot passport It must be remembered that Gabriel formally requested to be deregistered from Manchester United in September following disagreements over his sporting situation and has not trained with the club since. His future has since become a major talking point, but the biggest obstacle for European clubs is not just agreeing a deal.  JJ Gabriel wants to play for Barcelona. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Rather, Gabriel’s age creates significant complications around an international transfer. Following Brexit, British players are generally treated as non-EU nationals under the relevant football regulations, making moves abroad before the age of 18 particularly difficult. However, Gabriel is expected to receive a Cypriot passport in the near future, provided the process is completed successfully.  If that happens, it could potentially give him EU citizenship and fundamentally change the options available to him. Barcelona and Real Madrid prepare huge packages If the passport situation is resolved, January could emerge as a realistic window for Gabriel to leave Manchester United. JJ Gabriel has asked to leave Manchester United. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) As reported before, Barcelona and Real Madrid are considered among the most serious contenders, with both clubs potentially prepared to put forward an “XXL package of salary, bonuses and signing-on fee” to convince the teenager. Gabriel’s profile explains the level of interest. The youngster is regarded as an exceptional attacking talent, with his pace, dribbling ability and goalscoring attracting attention across Europe. For Barcelona, however, there remains an important contradiction because Deco has publicly indicated that the club has no interest in a player of his position . However, Gabriel’s reported preference for Barcelona could give the Catalan club encouragement, but it does not guarantee a move because Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich have the financial resources and sporting appeal to make the race extremely competitive.  More importantly, the legal status of any potential transfer must be established before serious negotiations can progress.