Man Utd starlet JJ Gabriel requests contract termination

Manchester United's 15-year-old academy star JJ Gabriel has formally requested to terminate his youth registration and become a free agent, stunning the club just days before he was set to make a historic senior debut. The request, submitted by Gabriel's representatives, has thrown his future at Old Trafford into uncertainty and prompted urgent discussions between club executives and the player's family. Gabriel was in line to be included in Manchester United's first-team squad for the Carabao Cup match against Brighton on Wednesday, a move that would have made him the club's youngest-ever player in an official competition. Instead, the forward, widely regarded as one of Europe's most promising talents, has asked for his registration to be cancelled with immediate effect. Manchester United officials are said to be personally negotiating with Gabriel's family, with chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox directly involved in the talks. The club believes the situation remains rectifiable, noting that Gabriel's contract runs until the end of the current season in May 2027 and that the registration cannot be unilaterally cancelled.