Manchester United have two weeks to convince 15-year-old academy star JJ Gabriel that his future lies at Old Trafford as the teenager attempts to force a transfer to a European rival.
Gabriel celebrates his 16th birthday on October 6, when he can legally appoint an agent and sign for a foreign club using an Irish passport. He has already held discussions with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain during a trip to Spain and France last week.
Old Trafford executives are refusing to cancel Gabriel's registration and allow him to depart as a free agent. Such a move could leave United receiving just £300,000 in compensation for a player who could soon be worth millions.
If United keep him until the end of the season, Gabriel could launch an appeal to the Premier League or FIFA. The club would struggle to stop his family relocating to Spain or another European country, particularly if they present a convincing argument that the move is driven by a non-football business opportunity rather than financial inducements.
While FIFA regulations cover young player education, options like home-schooling can satisfy those requirements. Gabriel has not been seen at United for nearly two weeks since scoring a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League victory against Sabah, and there is no expectation he will return.
His name was included on the squad list in the match programme for Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat against Brighton, where he could have become the club's youngest debutant. However, his name was removed from the programme for Sunday's game at Fulham.
United insiders state that player welfare is the main priority and point out that the club maintains a duty of care while he remains registered. Gabriel is concerned about his pathway after missing out on senior playing time against Sabah in the Champions League, while his family have privately questioned whether United can match rivals like Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Although formal agent representation is prohibited before age 16, the family can take informal advice. Agent Ali Barat has been involved in talks so far, but rival super agent Jorge Mendes is also competing to represent the teenager.
Sesko Backed After Shin Injury Criticism
Slovenia defender Jaka Bijol has urged Benjamin Sesko to ignore criticism from former Manchester United players Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt regarding an ongoing shin injury.
United's £74 million striker withdrew from Slovenia's upcoming Nations League fixtures due to the issue, which dates back to last season. The withdrawal means Sesko will not have played for his national team for over a year.
Speaking on their podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Football, Scholes questioned the injury, stating: "If it isn't broken, just wear your shinpads." Butt added: "You're a player, you either break your shin or you play!"
The remarks caused annoyance in Slovenia, but Leeds United defender Bijol offered public support for his international teammate. Bijol said he hopes and believes Sesko knows how to distance himself from that kind of pressure, noting that reading such comments during difficult moments can harm confidence.
Bijol added that Sesko knows his own quality as a footballer and regularly demonstrates it on the pitch. The incident follows previous controversy in January, when Lisandro Martinez challenged Scholes over comments comparing the 5ft 9in defender to 6ft 5in Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
International Battle for Midfielder Jay McEvoy
Manchester United Under-18s midfielder Jay McEvoy is at the center of an international allegiance battle between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The 17-year-old was recently brought into first-team training as United attempt to demonstrate a clear pathway for his development. Having represented both nations at youth level, McEvoy has received pitches from the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill is aware of the situation and plans to meet with the player and his family in the coming weeks to convince him to commit to Northern Ireland.
McEvoy has been with United since the Under-9 level and was offered a professional contract following impressive recent performances. United and both football associations still need to persuade the player and his advisors about their long-term plans.
Craven Cottage Exit and Amass Agency Switch
United officials expressed satisfaction with security arrangements at Fulham on Sunday after video surfaced showing Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Matheus Cunha walking through crowd areas outside Craven Cottage.
The players were rushing to catch flights for international duty. Because the road outside the stadium was closed for an hour after the match, police and security stewards escorted the trio to waiting cars. Rashford later withdrew from the England squad due to injury, alongside United teammate Kobbie Mainoo.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old left-back Harry Amass has split from long-standing agent Jason Mac and joined M+C Saatchi Football, the agency launched with Jamie Redknapp.
Amass did not secure a summer transfer, partly because United failed to sign Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall or an alternative. Burnley were among the clubs that held talks over Amass, who is now attracting January interest from teams in the Championship, Germany and the Netherlands.
Despite joining his new agency in August, rival agents continue to pitch for representation. Amass has found opportunities limited under manager Michael Carrick, who has preferred Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui at left-back.
Mourinho Echoes Past Complaints as Stadium Consultation Ends
Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho echoed his Old Trafford past following Real Madrid's 2-1 derby defeat against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Mourinho arrived at his press conference carrying printed screenshots to argue that Atletico players Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in should have been sent off in the first half. In 2016, Mourinho asked United staff to circulate visual evidence of refereeing errors, but the club declined.
The display also mirrored former manager Louis van Gaal, who brought four pages of statistics to a Carrington press conference in February 2015 to refute claims by Sam Allardyce that United played long-ball football against West Ham.
In other news from Fulham, £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba made his first matchday squad appearance and gave his No 20 shirt to a young supporter celebrating a birthday in the away section.
Public consultation on plans to build a new £2 billion stadium to replace Old Trafford formally closed on Monday. The local council held meetings at Trafford Town Hall, Media City, Gorse Hill Studios and Metro Sports Club, while gathering feedback online.
United representatives attended all meetings, which officials described as very positive. Council leaders will use the feedback to refine a masterplan expected to create 48,000 jobs, 15,000 new homes and a £7.3 billion annual economic boost.
United will now consult fans directly on stadium design. Collette Roche, chief executive of new stadium development, confirmed that initial concepts shown in London last year are not set in stone.
