Top Manchester United talent JJ Gabriel has submitted a formal notice that he wishes to cancel his contract, with Arsenal among the teams linked with signing him.
Matt Law reports for The Telegraph that Manchester United’s JJ Gabriel has sent formal notice to the club that he wishes to cancel his registration with immediate effect and become a free agent.
Law adds that it’s understood the player isn’t in line to immediately join another club, but he does want to leave United.
United can challenge Gabriel’s request to cancel his registration, and they are believed to think the situation is still salvageable. But they have been left shocked by the player’s latest move.
Law highlights that Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich have all been linked with Gabriel. If United accept his request to cancel his contract, he would then be able to sign scholarship terms with a new team in October, when he turns 16.
The article notes that Manchester United didn’t include Gabriel in their Champions League squad for this season, in contrast to Arsenal, who included Max Dowman last year. Dowman also earned significant minutes in pre-season, with Gabriel getting just 13 minutes with United.
Arsenal have been linked with Gabriel since early 2025, and United have previously been successful in convincing the player to stay. But it seems he’s now set on leaving the club.
As mentioned, Arsenal aren’t the only club in the mix, and none of the interested parties appear to be on the verge of completing a deal to sign Gabriel if he leaves United.
That’s also a big ‘if’, with United sure to fight to keep their top talent at the club. Nathan Salt reports for the Daily Mail that United don’t intend to cancel Gabriel’s registration, and he remains under contract until the end of the season.
Salt claims United were even planning to include Gabriel in Wednesday’s League Cup squad to face Brighton, but that’s no longer the case.
United now have nine months to turn things around, or Gabriel will be free to sign scholarship terms elsewhere next July, even if they refuse his de-registration request.
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