Man United Could Lose 16-Year-Old Wonderkid JJ Gabriel For Just £350,000 — Here's The Loophole Making Everyone Panic

Manchester United have just handed their teenage prodigy a contract offer, and everyone expects him to say no anyway. Welcome to the most awkward transfer saga of the autumn.

The kid in question is JJ Gabriel, he just turned 16, and United could lose him for roughly the price of a nice semi in Stockport.

The Tea ☕

• United have lodged an official scholarship contract offer with Gabriel, the Guardian reports.
• He's still "almost certain to leave", and a move to Europe could cost the buyer as little as £350,000.
• Real Madrid are reportedly the favourites, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG all monitoring.

Wait, How Did We Get Here?

Last month, Gabriel stunned the club by asking for his registration to be cancelled. That set off a scramble among Europe's elite clubs.

He's been at United since he was 11. According to the Guardian, he'd even been working with specialist staff usually reserved for senior players to fast-track his path to the first team.

So what went wrong? The Guardian says the breakdown came down to a disagreement over first-team minutes. His camp reportedly wasn't willing to enter pre-agreement talks after he turned 16.

A United team photo released this week briefly gave fans hope of a reunion. Per the Guardian, that hope has since been dashed.

The £350,000 Question

Here's where it gets spicy. Under Premier League youth rules, Gabriel could have left for a rival for nothing in January if United hadn't offered him a formal scholarship. They've now made that offer, which closes that door.

If he joins another English club, they'd have to negotiate a fee directly with United, or a tribunal would set it. The Guardian says United would expect more than £3m plus a 20% sell-on clause at a tribunal. For comparison, Liverpool paid Chelsea £2.8m up front plus £1.2m in add-ons for Rio Ngumoha.

But the Guardian says he reportedly favours Europe, and that's the loophole. Under official Fifa compensation figures for a Category I academy, United would get around £350,000 if he moves abroad. He'd normally be blocked from moving before 18, but he's eligible for an EU passport through his parents.

Yes, really. A kid United have nurtured for five years could walk for less than a lot of players earn in a week.

What Happens Next?

The Guardian says United will consider legal action if they believe recruitment rules have been breached. Nobody has said they have been, so that's something to watch rather than a done deal.

Gabriel also hasn't been at training for more than three weeks, according to the Guardian's sources. The club has reportedly made multiple attempts to check on his wellbeing.

Sky Sports' Paper Talk rounded up the story in its Friday transfer roundup, and its headline says United "could be forced to accept small fee for wantaway teen". One small note: Sky's blurb describes him as a 15-year-old prodigy, while the Guardian says he turned 16 this week. We're going with the Guardian's version, since the age matters for the pre-agreement rules.

His next move is still undecided, so treat all the Real Madrid talk as reporting on interest, not a done deal.

Over To You

Should United have found a way to keep him happy, or is this just the new reality of teenage superstars with EU passports and options?

Is £350,000 an outrage, or is it just the rules? Sound off in the comments.

Sources: The Guardian | Sky Sports Paper Talk