Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has spoken out about the scandal surrounding 15-year-old striker Jay Jay Gabriel.
The young forward is on the brink of leaving the Manchester club after spending four years in their academy. This week, the player officially requested to cancel his registration and be released from the team.
Gabriel was close to making his debut for the senior side in a League Cup match against Brighton but dramatically refused to train ahead of the game, resulting in his absence from the squad.
The final straw for the player and his family was the introduction of 19-year-olds Shi Lacey and Harry Amass in the match against Sabah. Relatives felt that Gabriel deserved a chance with the first team just as much as the others.
Top clubs across Europe, including Barcelona and Real Madrid, have shown interest in the striker. However, United remain hopeful of resolving the rift and keeping hold of their talent.
On the Stick to Football show, Neville did not hold back his frustration at the actions of the boy's representatives.
I just don't see the logic in what the representatives of a 15-year-old lad are doing, thinking it's a great idea to make him a sensation right now. In this situation, you need to douse the flames, right? It's not the time to add fuel to the fire.
If you remember, when Max Dauman debuted for Arsenal last year, Sky Sports was surely asking for interviews straight after the match. Arsenal declined, took the lad straight to the changing room, and by Monday morning, he was back at his school desk.
