Real Madrid lead pursuit of Manchester United’s JJ Gabriel

Real Madrid are leading the pursuit of 16-year-old Manchester United forward JJ Gabriel after he reached a reported verbal agreement in principle with the Spanish club, but no contract has been signed and the transfer is not complete. The proposed move is being targeted for January 2027, according to reports. Gabriel remains registered with United, and the clubs have not held formal transfer discussions. Completion would depend on formal arrangements and applicable FIFA and registration requirements. The verbal-agreement account was reported by journalist Florian Plettenberg, who said the transfer was being pushed towards completion while Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain remained on standby. Other reports also identified Real Madrid as the leading candidate, with the teenager expected to leave United in January. The reports do not establish that he has signed for Madrid or that either club has announced a completed deal. Gabriel informed United of his intention to leave in September and has not returned to the club since then, according to reports. He is said to have been training independently in Spain. The accounts describe a disagreement over his development...