JJ Gabriel: Real Madrid reach verbal agreement over January move from Manchester United – report

JJ Gabriel has reached a verbal agreement with Real Madrid over a potential January move from Manchester United, according to Sky Sports News.

The 16-year-old remains registered with United’s academy until the end of the season. No club-to-club contact had taken place as of Wednesday 4 November, leaving his departure unresolved despite Madrid’s progress with the player.

Gabriel has not trained with United since his request to leave the club in September. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also shown interest in the forward.

When could JJ Gabriel join Real Madrid?

Sky Sports News reports that Madrid intend to sign Gabriel in the January transfer window. The verbal agreement is with the teenager’s camp; a completed transfer has not been announced.

His eligibility for an EU passport through his parents is central to the proposed move, according to Sky. Any international transfer at his age must also satisfy the rules protecting players under 18.

FIFA’s guidance on transfers involving minors states that such moves require an applicable exception and approval in advance.

Manchester United consider legal options over Gabriel’s exit

United are prepared to explore legal action if they believe regulations have been broken, according to Press Association reporting carried by The Irish Times. The report says neither Madrid nor Gabriel’s family has contacted the club about the proposed switch.

His representatives previously asked United to cancel his registration immediately so he could become a free agent. That request has not ended his registration with the club.

The Guardian reports that United would be due compensation if Gabriel joins another club.

Why does JJ Gabriel want to leave Man Utd?

The dispute centres on his pathway to first-team football. Sky’s September reporting said Gabriel and his representatives wanted more involvement during pre-season and in senior matchday squads, including the Champions League.

United sources believed the club had demonstrated a clear route into the first team. Gabriel had trained with the senior squad and appeared against Atlético Madrid in a pre-season friendly in Stockholm.

Michael Carrick urged care when discussing the teenager’s future in September.

“It’s more about the welfare, the care and the attention of JJ as a child, really,” the United manager told Sky Sports.

JJ Gabriel’s academy record: 23 league goals and two awards

Gabriel turned 16 on 6 October after a breakthrough 2025/26 campaign in which he scored 23 Under-18 Premier League goals.

He became the youngest winner of United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award, beating the age record previously held by Angel Gomes. He was also named the inaugural Under-18 Premier League Player of the Season, as United’s award announcement confirms.

Follow our Manchester United news and football transfer coverage for further developments.