Wayne Rooney Labels JJ Gabriel a 'Special Talent' Amid Manchester United Exit Request

Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel, 15, has asked to leave the club despite recently scoring a hat trick on his UEFA Youth League debut.

Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel has requested to leave the club as he approaches his 16th birthday next month. According to ESPN sources, Barcelona and Real Madrid are currently monitoring the situation of the 15-year-old attacker, who recently recorded a hat trick during his UEFA Youth League debut against Sabah.

Wayne Rooney told Disney+’s Stick To Football that it would be disappointing for United to lose a player he described as a special talent with exceptional balance and game understanding. Rooney, who previously played in the same youth team as Gabriel while his son Kai was a member, noted that the club has provided the teenager with unique treatment in an effort to retain him.

While United sources believe the current situation could be rectified, Rooney suggested Gabriel likely would have made his first-team debut during the current season. The former United captain compared the player's development to his own experience at Everton, where he became the Premier League's youngest scorer in 2002 at 16 years and 360 days old. That specific record is now held by Arsenal’s Max Dowman, who scored against Everton in March at the age of 16 years and 73 days.