A teenager who is yet to play a senior minute of professional football has told a Spanish newspaper his career target is the sport’s biggest individual prize.
JJ Gabriel, the 16-year-old Manchester United forward whose move to Real Madrid is being lined up for January, was approached after a training session by Marca and handed a copy of the paper carrying his anticipated transfer on the front page. His answer, in English, was short.
“My dream is to win a Ballon d’Or.”
Asked by the same outlet whether he preferred Real Madrid or Barcelona, Gabriel gave an equally brief reply.
Read also: Liverpool star set for January return after just 152 minutes and no starts in Spain
“Obviously, Madrid.”
A verbal agreement, no signed deal
The remarks landed days after Sky Sports News broke the verbal agreement between Gabriel and Real Madrid over a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. It is not a signed contract, and the two clubs have not yet spoken directly. Madrid intend to complete the transfer in the January window, with the forward slotting into Castilla, the club’s reserve side.
Gabriel turned 16 in October, the first point at which FIFA’s rules on international transfers of minors under Article 19 could realistically be used to move him. He qualifies through an EU passport held in his family, allowing him to sign professionally with a club inside the European Union despite his age. His UEFA Youth League registration this season still sits with Manchester United, which prevents him representing Real Madrid in that competition until next year.
Out of Carrington since September
Gabriel informed Manchester United of his intention to leave in early September and has not returned to the Carrington training ground since. He is still registered at the club but has been training individually in Madrid, where his representative Ali Barat has been handling the arrangements.
Read also: “You still haven’t seen the best version of me”: Liverpool’s £123m star responds to critics
A hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League was among his last outings in a United shirt before the walkout.
According to Stretty News, citing Sports Illustrated, United could receive as little as £100,000 in training compensation under FIFA’s fixed calculation for a 16-year-old crossing borders.
A full U-18 league season in one half-year
The forward’s academy numbers are what made Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich move for him in the first place.
- Premier League Under-18 Player of the Season for 2025/26, the inaugural award
- Youngest ever winner of United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year
- 20 goals in 21 Under-18 Premier League appearances last season, per Stretty News
Real Madrid want him signed as soon as the January window opens on 1 January 2027. Until then, Gabriel keeps training alone in Spain, with his Manchester United contract still live on paper and the paperwork on the Bernabeu move unsigned.
Read also: Juan Pablo Montoya makes bold claim about who really controls Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Sources: – [Obviously, Madrid, JJ Gabriel speaks to Marca (Yahoo/Goal)](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/obviously-madrid-16-old-man-071352264.html) – [Real Madrid agree terms with JJ Gabriel (Stretty News)](https://strettynews.com/2026/11/06/real-madrid-agree-terms-with-jj-gabriel-as-united-face-modest-training-compensation/) – [JJ Gabriel Manchester United Real Madrid transfer (utdreport)](https://utdreport.co.uk/2026/11/06/jj-gabriel-manchester-united-real-madrid-transfer/amp/) – [Sky Sports News, verbal agreement tweet](https://x.com/SkySportsNews/status/2117941560490741766)
Read also: Manchester City suffer historic collapse as Arsenal open six-point Premier League lead
