Real Madrid have taken a significant step towards potentially signing Jay Jay Gabriel. The Madrid club has already reached out to Manchester United to clarify the situation regarding the 16-year-old player and expressed their willingness to discuss a fee for his transfer.
Gabriel celebrated his 16th birthday on October 6, which now allows him to sign his first professional contract.
He has been with Manchester United's academy since 2022 and has quickly emerged as one of the standout talents. Last season, Gabriel netted an impressive 29 goals and provided four assists in 32 appearances for the U18 team.
Recently promoted to the U21s, he has already added two goals and two assists to his tally in just 120 minutes of play this season.
However, last month, Gabriel communicated his desire to leave Manchester United, and he has not featured in any matches since making that announcement.
According to reports from AS, Real initially explored the legal conditions surrounding a potential transfer.
Born in England, Gabriel has an Irish father and a Cypriot mother, enabling him to obtain an EU passport. This status could allow him to move to a club outside the UK before turning 18.
Following this, Madrid approached Manchester United to clarify the contract situation.
It is understood that Real have kept their English counterparts informed of their actions and indicated their openness to discussing financial compensation for the player.
Madrid have reportedly set a maximum fee they are willing to invest in the deal, though specific figures remain undisclosed.
Gabriel is believed to be aiming for an annual salary in the region of €1 million and is currently weighing up Real's offer.
The competition for his signature is fierce, with Barcelona also expressing interest, while Bayern Munich is in the running as well.
With Gabriel's future increasingly looking like it lies away from Manchester United, the English club are especially keen to avoid him moving to a domestic rival.
