JJ Gabriel, a top soccer prospect at age 15, wants out of his Manchester United deal
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- At just 15, striker JJ Gabriel has shattered Manchester United academy records and was poised to become the club’s youngest first-team player in official competition Wednesday.
- Instead, the London-born phenom has stunned United by asking to terminate his youth registration immediately and become a free agent.
- Club executives are said to be personally negotiating with Gabriel’s family as the Premier League may ultimately rule on his future.
JJ Gabriel is already the youngest person to play for Manchester United’s Under-18 team.
He is also the youngest person to play in an unofficial game with United’s first team.
And with the club set to play Brighton in an English League Cup game Wednesday, the 15-year-old striker appeared set to become the youngest person to play in an official game with United’s first team.
But that doesn’t seem likely to happen at this point — not after Gabriel has requested to be let out of his youth registration with the club immediately to become a free agent. Gabriel is under contract with United until the end of the current season in May.
With Lionel Messi retiring and Cristiano Ronaldo presumably not far behind, one of soccer’s greatest eras is ending. But the next one could be even better.
United remains hopeful it can retain the young star, a person with knowledge of the situation but unauthorized to comment told the Associated Press.
According to the BBC, Gabriel did not train with the team late last week “amid issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United.” The publication also states that chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox “are directly involved in discussions with the player’s family, which underlines how seriously the club [regards] the situation.”
If United declines Gabriel’s request, the matter could ultimately be decided by the Premier League.
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Gabriel’s father, Joe O’Cearuill, was a defender who played for Arsenal, mainly in the lower leagues, and briefly for Ireland’s national team.
Born in London on Oct. 6, 2010, Gabriel first gained wide attention — and the nickname “Kid Messi,” after global soccer legend Lionel Messi — as an 8-year-old youth player showing his skills in a YouTube video posted by SV2 in 2019. It has been viewed more than 5 million times.
After playing for youth academies such as Arsenal, West Ham United and Chelsea, Gabriel signed with Manchester United at age 11. He was 14 years, 6 months and 1 day old when he scored two goals in his U-18 debut, a 13-1 victory against Leeds on April 5, 2025.
With a nimble host in Rebecca Lowe and a longtime commitment to winning over U.S. soccer fans, NBC’s English Premier League investment is paying off.
Gabriel went on to score 20 goals in 21 appearances and was named the U-18 Premier League player of the year. He also became the youngest player to be named Manchester United’s academy player of the year. Making his UEFA Youth League debut last week, Gabriel netted a hat trick during a 5-0 victory over Sabah.
On Aug. 1, Gabriel made his first appearance with United’s first team, playing eight minutes during a preseason game against Atlético Madrid. He was 15 years, 9 months and 26 days old. The youngest Manchester United first-team player in an official game is David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he first appeared for the club on Oct. 24, 1956.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
