“We’re not interested…” – Barcelona sports director Deco shares his thoughts on the JJ Gabriel situation
Barcelona isn’t interested in signing JJ Gabriel, according to their sporting director, Deco. He responded clearly to rumors that the club wants the young player.
JJ Gabriel and his team have apparently told Manchester United that he wants to end his registration right away. The 15-year-old, seen as one of the most promising talents in football, is catching attention from big clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain.
While Barcelona was also mentioned and Gabriel was reported to have visited the city last week, Deco has now said these rumors aren’t true.
Talking to journalist Ben Jacobs, Deco said, “There’s nothing to say about this boy. It’s normal to hear links with players, especially when they are young. But we are not interested in anyone in his situation. I don’t even know if he is still a Manchester United player. We are not involved.”
He added, “First, we need to understand what’s going on before thinking about anything else. Talking about young players isn’t really our business.”
The Daily Mail reported that Gabriel’s desire to leave might come from Manchester United’s struggles since the Sir Alex Ferguson era. A family insider said that United is “far away” from clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and even domestic rivals Arsenal and Manchester City. They want Gabriel to “learn from the best” to reach his full potential.
Before United’s Premier League game against Fulham, coach Michael Carrick was asked about Gabriel’s situation. He said, “JJ is a young boy, and we have to be careful with all the attention. The situation will sort itself out one way or another. The most important thing is making sure he’s okay.”
Meanwhile, United are working to bring in young talent. On September 24, they announced the signing of midfielder Karim Cassim from Manchester City. The 17-year-old is now allowed to play in the academy and helped City win the FA Youth Cup last season. Cassim has played for England youth teams and is seen as a future first-team player. According to The Athletic, United is focused on recruiting young players to develop for their first team.
The same outlet also says United is close to signing Isaac Konde from rivals Liverpool. Konde is expected to be a possible replacement for Gabriel.