The real story behind JJ Gabriel being in the Man Utd team photo comes from an amazing family request that just came to light.
JJ Gabriel was part of Manchester United’s official team photo for the 2026-27 season, but it looks like he might be leaving the club soon, according to a recent report. Gabriel, who just turned 16 on October 6, is seen standing next to Tom Heaton and Harry Amass in the picture taken on September 8.
Shortly after, Gabriel and his team told the club they wanted to leave, mainly because he wasn’t getting enough playing time. In fact, he and his family asked for him to play at least 20 minutes in matches against Sabah, Brighton, and Bournemouth, as reported by ESPN.
Gabriel didn’t play against Sabah in the Champions League because he wasn’t eligible, but he made history by becoming the youngest United player to score a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League. His family also pushed for him to play against Brighton, and when it seemed like he would, they asked the club to cancel his registration due to limited playing time. They also wanted him to get minutes in the Premier League match against Bournemouth on October 25 before discussing a scholarship.
Gabriel’s team is eager to find him a new club. Aside from the lack of first-team opportunities, the Daily Mail reports that Gabriel’s decision is also influenced by what they see as a “decline” at Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson’s era. A family source said the club feels far behind giants like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, as well as rivals Arsenal and Manchester City. They want Gabriel to “learn from the best” to grow his skills.
So far, United hasn’t received any official offers for Gabriel, even though other clubs are showing interest. Barcelona has been linked with him, but their sporting director Deco responded by saying they’re not involved or interested right now. Speaking to journalist Ben Jacobs, Deco said, “There’s nothing to say about this boy… We are not interested in any player in his situation. I’m not sure what’s going on or if he’s still a Manchester United player.” He added, “We need to understand the situation first before doing anything, and talking about young players isn’t really our business.”