Barcelona sporting director Deco has officially denied that his club is interested in signing Manchester United teenager JJ Gabriel. The 15-year-old forward recently traveled to the Spanish city after notifying Old Trafford officials earlier this month that he intended to leave the club.
Addressing the media at a news conference, Deco stated there is no interest from Barcelona in the youngster’s situation. He noted that while it is common for players to be linked with the club, the organization is not currently involved in this specific case. Deco emphasized that they are unsure of the player’s exact standing at Manchester United and that it is not their business to discuss such young prospects.
Despite this denial, reports suggest that high-profile clubs, including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris St-Germain, are monitoring the teenager’s status. Gabriel has not participated in training at United since netting a hat-trick during his Uefa Youth League debut on September 10.
Tournament regulations currently prohibit him from playing for any other side in this year’s competition. However, his future may change upon his 16th birthday on October 6. If Gabriel secures a European Union passport—potentially via his mother’s Greek-Cypriot heritage or his father, a former Republic of Ireland international—he would become eligible to join a club within the EU.
The situation surrounding the young prospect has drawn significant attention. Last week, Manchester United manager Michael Carrick publicly urged observers to remain careful and sensible regarding the high level of scrutiny and media exposure directed at the player. The report also notes that even when they are young, there’s a huge market for that. The report also notes that first of all, we need to understand how the situation is before we try to do something.
