Real Madrid will have a clearer run at 15-year-old Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel after the latest comments by Deco.
As quoted by BBC Sport, Deco has suggested that Barcelona will not pursue a deal for JJ Gabriel, even though the 15-year-old Manchester United wonderkid recently travelled to the city, possibly to discuss a move, per reports. Meanwhile, the BBC update suggests that apart from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on signing the teenager.
Deco said, “There’s nothing to say about this boy. It’s normal we always have players linked with us. There’s a huge market for that, even when they are young. We are not interested in any player in his situation. I’m not sure what’s happening, and if he’s still a Manchester United player. We are not involved in that. First of all, we need to understand how the situation is before we try to do something. To speak about young, teenage players, it is not our business.”
JJ Gabriel and his desire for a new adventure
JJ Gabriel is the latest promising Manchester United academy star to rise in prominence. The 15-year-old initially passed through the academies at Arsenal, Chelsea, and West Ham United before joining Manchester United in 2022. Since then, he has rapidly risen through the ranks at the club, having already become a regular for the under-21 side.
The English youth international was exceptional in the 2025/26 season, scoring 26 goals and providing four assists in 29 appearances. He has carried that form into the new campaign, having amassed five goals and two assists in only three outings thus far, including a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League clash with Sabah earlier this month. However, his spell with Manchester United is now expected to end.
A new adventure beckons
Bayern Munich’s interest in the teenager aligns with their history of developing young talent from English academies. Jamal Musiala is one such player who has become a first-team mainstay. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s interest in JJ Gabriel makes sense from an academy perspective. While an immediate first-team pathway is unlikely, the Catalan giants want a young striker capable of developing into a long-term asset after choosing not to sign a like-for-like replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
As for Real Madrid, the Merengues hold a long-standing interest in the Manchester United prodigy. They have opted for a methodical approach to academy recruitment, developing young signings who can transition to the first-team setup; Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior are among the success stories. If that does not materialise, Real Madrid can also make a handsome profit from their departures, having done so with countless players in recent years.
However, a quicker pathway at one of the top European clubs interested in him compared to Manchester United will be a tall order. The Red Devils regularly fast-track academy prospects into senior competition, with Shea Lacey and Harry Amass featuring against Sabah in the UEFA Champions League this term.
So, the English youth international’s push for an exit is perplexing. Nevertheless, Gabriel’s European passport removes visa barriers to an overseas move, though a move to Barcelona may not be on the cards.
