JJ Gabriel exit set to cost Man Utd MILLIONS with club resigned to losing wonderkid, 15

MANCHESTER UNITED expect to lose out on millions when JJ Gabriel leaves. With wantaway Gabriel, 15, expected to head abroad, his perceived quality and potential future value will not be factored into the compensation fee United would be entitled to. JJ Gabriel is not expected to play for United again Credit: Getty Gabriel claimed the match ball with a hat-trick in his final appearance for United in the Uefa Youth League Credit: Alamy And club sources would not expect to bank a significant figure, with the final sum worked out on a standard process. In fact, United could be set to receive as little as £300,000 in training compensation for a player tipped to be worth as much as £100million one day. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! If Gabriel moved to a Prem rival a tribunal would decide how much United get – with the club likely to have demanded millions. Gabriel’s father, Joe O’Cearuill, has likened his development to that of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Lamine Yamal. Academy figures at United consider Gabriel to be the best 15-year-old footballer in Europe but do not expect him to show his face at the club’s Carrington training complex again. Gabriel wants to leave after flirting with several elite clubs in recent years and agent Ali Barat lined up talks with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Barcelona have been long-time admirers of Gabriel, who has visited Catalonia at least three times since he joined the United academy. Gabriel was in Barcelona last week. Despite concerns at United that Manchester City could lure Gabriel, City sources said last week they expected the teenager to leave the UK. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK O’Cearuill represented the Republic of Ireland during his playing career and Gabriel’s mother holds a Cypriot passport, which could enable her son to obtain an EU passport. United have indulged Gabriel persistently over the past year, promoting him to first team training and affording him playing time in the pre-season friendly with Atletico Madrid before including him in their training camp in the Republic of Ireland. Former head coach Ruben Amorim and director of football Jason Wilcox held discussions with Gabriel last year as United attempted to convince him his long-term future was at Old Trafford. United agreed to assign Gabriel the brand-conscious number 77 and named him in their Premier League list of squad numbers this season. The club even downplayed a potential security scare involving one of Gabriel’s party at the FA Youth Cup semi-final at Old Trafford in April. Someone close to Gabriel brandished a toy gun after Gabriel marked his goal against Crystal Palace with a gun-toting celebration. Man Utd ratings v Fulham Gabriel was heavily involved in United’s pre-season preparations Credit: Getty United’s decision not to add Gabriel to their Champions League squad A list, which usually consists of senior professionals, seemed to be the final straw. The club could not add Gabriel to the B list 24 hours before kick-off against Sabah on September 10 as Gabriel does not turn 16 until October 6. Nineteen-year-olds Shea Lacey and Harry Amass came on for their Champions League debuts in the 4-0 rout of Sabah. United had planned to name Gabriel in the League Cup third round matchday squad against Brighton. But it emerged that Gabriel wanted out the day before the tie last Wednesday. On Friday, United coach Michael Carrick reiterated the club had a duty of care to Gabriel as long as he remained under contract. He said: “He’s a young boy, JJ, and I think it’s important that we certainly don’t play anything out here. “I think the exposure and the scrutiny and everything with that, you’ve got to be careful and be sensible and think of him as much as anything. “So the situation will work itself out, whatever way it’s going to work itself out. Making sure he’s okay is the important thing.” Comment now