JJ Gabriel is increasingly likely to move abroad when he leaves Manchester United despite links with Chelsea and Manchester City.

According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain are among the European heavyweights interested in JJ Gabriel, with the trio best-placed to beat Premier League bigwigs to his signature.

Pete O’Rourke said, “Of course you’ll have a host of Premier League clubs interested in JJ Gabriel as well. But it’ll be difficult for those Premier League clubs to try and land Gabriel. A move to Europe is the most likely destination for Gabriel. But look, he is a top talent, and it’ll be a huge loss to United if he does end up leaving.”

Who is JJ Gabriel?

JJ Gabriel is the latest promising Manchester United academy prospect to garner widespread praise. The teenage sensation passed through the academies at Arsenal, Chelsea, and West Ham United before joining Manchester United in 2022. Since then, he has rapidly risen through the ranks at the club, already establishing a foothold in their under-21 side.

The English youth international was exceptional in the 2025/26 season, scoring 26 goals and providing four assists in 29 appearances. He has carried that form into the new campaign, having amassed five goals and two assists in only three outings thus far, including a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League clash with Sabah last week. However, his spell with Manchester United is likely to end soon.

Top clubs battling for his signature

The 15-year-old has been a target for Chelsea for a long time, with the West London club eager to re-sign him if he leaves Manchester United as a free agent. The interest is logical, considering they have been habitual suitors for the world’s best young prospects whenever the opportunities present themselves. Some of them, including Estevao Willian, have already become regulars in their senior setup.

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s interest in JJ Gabriel makes sense. While an immediate pathway to the senior squad is unlikely, the Catalan giants are eager to sign a striker who can serve them for over a decade. The teenage prospect’s ability to play on the left flank adds to his appeal, as he can compete with Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi for a place on that side.

As for Real Madrid, the Merengues hold a long-standing interest in the Manchester United prodigy. Under Florentino Perez, they have constantly signed young prodigies who can pass through the academy and break into the first-team setup to create smooth transitions from one generation to the next. Federico Valverde, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo Goes have been success stories of this outlook.

However, a quicker pathway at one of the top European clubs interested in him compared to Manchester United will be a tall order. The Red Devils regularly involve their academy prospects in first-team football, with Shea Lacey and Harry Amass featuring against Sabah in the UEFA Champions League last week. So, the English youth international’s push for an exit is perplexing. Moving abroad will not be an issue for Gabriel, as he has a European passport.