JJ Gabriel is closing in on a move to Real Madrid as the long-running saga of his departure from Manchester United finally looks set to end. 

While sources at United insist there has been no club-to-club contact, Gabriel, who is currently working with a personal trainer in Madrid, is in the process of finalising a move to the Spanish capital. 

Daily Mail Sport exclusively revealed Madrid’s growing confidence in securing the free-scoring starlet back in September. Gabriel has now secured a European Union passport through his mother’s Cypriot heritage, and sources familiar with the situation believe a switch is imminent. 

It is understood Gabriel will play for Madrid’s Castilla team, which plays in Spain’s third division, as well as in the Youth League. 

Gabriel broke a series of records playing for United youth teams, including becoming the youngest player to feature in the Under-18s. Gabriel was 14 and scored twice on his debut. 

He has also played – and scored – for the Under-21 side.

United were rocked in September when Gabriel and his representatives made a bombshell request to have his academy contract torn up. That request was immediately refused by United and, while there was faint hope that a compromise could have been found to keep him at Old Trafford, he has stayed away ever since.

JJ Gabriel’s family believe United’s decline means their son must leave the club

Gabriel, who turned 16 last month, is one of the brightest young talents in the world and his exit represents a huge loss to United.

As Daily Mail Sport previously reported, United’s decline since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson has been the driving force behind Gabriel’s family seeking an exit. United have not won a Premier League title since 2013.

A source close to the family explained that United are ‘far away’ from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, as well as domestic rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, and that they want him to ‘learn from the best’ to maximise his talents.

Gabriel’s real name is Joseph Junior Andreou O’Cearuill. His father, Joe O’Cearuill, changed the family name to make it more commercially attractive.

O’Cearuill senior has been described as a fiercely ambitious, pushy parent. He is credited with the decision to get JJ out of United in an attempt to fast-track his career.

The family had previously flirted with other major European clubs, including Barcelona. Gabriel  even went on a tour of the Spanish club’s ground – and was photographed with superstar striker Lamine Yamal.

While there is some way to go before he will be lining up alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jnr and Jude Bellingham, the belief is that Gabriel, who is being guided by prominent agent Ali Barat, can realise his world-class potential in LaLiga.

Rafa Nadal joins Real Madrid board

Tennis star Rafael Nadal has become a director of Real Madrid.

The club’s board met on Wednesday and agreed to submit to the general assembly of delegate members ratification of Nadal’s appointment as a new member of the board.

Nadal won 22 grand slam singles titles in a stellar career, including a record 14 French Open crowns. He retired from the sport in 2024.

A club statement described Nadal as ‘one of the greatest legends in the history of sport and one of the most admired and recognised Spanish athletes in the world’.

The statement added: ‘For Real Madrid and for all Madridismo it is a great pride that a figure of his sporting and human dimension, a benchmark in Spanish and world sport, becomes part of our board of directors and contributes, from this responsibility, to the present and future of our club.’

Gabriel was included in an official United first-team team photo published last month and his name was listed on the back of Tuesday’s Roma programme, despite being left out of the Champions League squad.

United head coach Carrick has said of Gabriel: ‘He’s a young boy, he’s 15 and the biggest (thing) for me definitely and as a club point of view is looking after our younger players – their welfare, their wellbeing, their exposure.

‘And I think all of us we’ve got to be really conscious of that, really, in this situation.

‘As a club, for sure, we’re all involved in those conversations. I just think we’ve got to be very careful of that.’

READ MORE: The pushy father behind JJ Gabriel’s bombshell request to leave Man United