Photo via Sky Sports

JJ Gabriel asks to leave Man Utd

Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel has formally notified the club of his desire to depart, seeking the prompt termination of his registration so he can secure free-agent status. The fifteen-year-old attacker, who originally arrived at the youth setup at age eleven and is viewed as an elite talent, previously sparked speculation after deleting every United-themed post from his Instagram feed.

His sudden push to exit has completely baffled club officials, who maintain optimism that the relationship can be mended while noting that proper formal procedures prohibit an immediate release.

The development catches the Red Devils off guard after Gabriel was integrated into Michael Carrick's senior squad over the summer, even earning his unofficial debut as a substitute for Bryan Mbeumo in an exhibition match against Atletico Madrid. Furthermore, the youngster had been in contention to take part in Wednesday's Carabao Cup fixture against Brighton before submitting his departure request.