David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano reported that Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel, is expected to join Real Madrid during the January transfer window..

Both The Athletic's David Ornstein and Sky Sports' renowned transfer journalists Fabrizio Romano simultaneously reported on Wednesday that Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel, is expected to join Real Madrid during the January transfer window.

According to Ornstein, ever since submitting a surprise transfer request in mid-September and severing all ties with Manchester United, Gabriel, encouraged by his father, has been traveling extensively to hold talks with various clubs interested in signing him.

These discussions included meetings with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona, though none of these negotiations proved successful.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano reports that despite the talks with those three clubs, Gabriel and his father have, in fact, been in close, private contact with Real Madrid all along.

Over the past few months, the pair has visited Madrid multiple times. They have been in the city since last week and have held several meetings with Real Madrid club officials.

Although no formal agreement has been reached, Gabriel and his father have made it clear that joining Real Madrid is their top priority.

Furthermore, to prevent any damage to the relationship between the two clubs, the La Liga giants intend to engage in thorough negotiations with Manchester United regarding the wonderkid's youth development compensation fee.

Should the two clubs fail to reach an agreement, Manchester United could potentially take legal action against Real Madrid, alleging that the Spanish club engaged in unauthorized, illgeal approach and incited the player to leave. 

About JJ Gabriel

JJ Gabriel, whose original surname was O'Cearuill, is only still 16 years old and was born on October 6, 2010, in Enfield, England. He is 1.75 meters tall and primarily plays as a center-forward but can also play as a left-winger. He holds Irish, Trinidadian and Tobagonian, and Cypriot heritage. His father, Joe O’Cearuill, is a is former Ireland international player who spent time in the Arsenal youth academy before being released at a young age.

Since joining the Red Devils' youth academy, Gabriel has made 35 appearances for the Premier League giants' youth teams across all competitions, scoring 34 goals and providing 6 assists. He is also a recipient of the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.

Prior to submitting a transfer request to leave the club, he scored a hat-trick in Manchester United’s 5–0 victory over Sabah in the UEFA Youth League, becoming the youngest goalscorer for the Red Devils in that competition.

Image source: Internet / The Athletic