Man United Confidential: Latest in JJ Gabriel saga as key deadline looms and super agents fight over wonderkid, tug-of-war over academy star and ‘very positive’ milestone on new stadium

Manchester United face a two-week deadline to persuade 15-year-old academy talent JJ Gabriel to stay as he looks to force a transfer to a European club. Gabriel turns 16 on October 6, enabling him to gain formal agent representation and sign with a foreign team via his Irish passport. Gabriel's representatives have reportedly held discussions with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain during a recent trip to Spain and France.

United are resisting demands to cancel his registration and let him depart as a free agent for around £300,000 in compensation. The teenager has not appeared at the club for nearly two weeks following a hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League, amid concerns from his family regarding his development pathway into the senior squad.