Michael Carrick has urged caution over the future of Manchester United's 15-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel, insisting the teenager's well-being must come first after the youngster stunned the club by requesting to leave Old Trafford.
Gabriel, dubbed 'Kid Messi', was expected to be included in the squad for Wednesday's Carabao Cup clash with Brighton, where a debut would have made him the youngest player in United's history. Instead, his future could lie away from Manchester, with the club yet to respond to his request to cancel his registration.
Carrick: Welfare Must Be the Priority
Speaking after United's 3-2 defeat to Brighton, Carrick was asked for an update on Gabriel's situation and insisted the teenager's welfare must be the priority. 'I just think we've got to be really careful of the whole situation,' Carrick said in his post-match press conference. 'He's a young boy, he's 15, and the biggest for me definitely, and as a club point of view, is looking after our younger players for the welfare, their well-being, their exposure.'
'All of us, I think we've got to be really conscious of that,' he added. Asked if he will be part of discussions over Gabriel's future, Carrick said: 'As a club for sure we're all involved in those conversations. I just think we've got to be very careful.'
Interest from Europe's Elite
Barcelona and Real Madrid lead the queue of clubs interested in signing the prodigious talent, while Chelsea and Manchester City are also monitoring the situation. According to football.london, Arsenal also hold an interest in bringing the youngster back to London.
Gabriel's future dominated the lead-up to Wednesday's game, where United's problems deepened after throwing away a two-goal lead to crash out of the competition. The defeat was compounded by the ongoing uncertainty over one of their most promising young players.
Academy Ties Between Arsenal and United
Arsenal and United have traded academy talents recently, with Chido Obi and Ayden Heaven both leaving north London to sign for the 20-time league champions. In the summer, the Gunners snapped up James Scanlon and Habeeb Ogunneye from the Red Devils.
Arsenal could also point to Max Dowman as an example of the trust they place in their young stars, having handed him his senior debut at the age of 15 last season. The Gunners' track record with young players may prove a significant factor in any pursuit of Gabriel.
United still hope they can rectify the situation and convince Gabriel to stay, but with interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining where the 15-year-old's future lies.
