The Reason JJ Gabriel Wants Out of Manchester United

It's already known that teenage sensation JJ Gabriel has told Manchester United he wants to leave, but the real story is why. According to the Daily Mail, it all comes down to his family's assessment of where United now stand compared to Europe's elite, and it's not a flattering one.

Gabriel's camp reportedly believes the club has fallen well behind the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Their priority is simple: they want the 15-year-old developing alongside the very best in the game, and they don't think Old Trafford currently offers that.

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That verdict has already put some of the continent's biggest names on alert. Preliminary talks have reportedly taken place with both Barcelona and Real Madrid, helped by the fact that Gabriel holds an Irish EU passport, which would smooth the path for a move to Spain. Bayern Munich are also watching closely as agents circle to secure representation for the teenager.

If he stays in England instead, Chelsea are said to be leading the domestic race, though a move there wouldn't be straightforward. The Blues are currently serving a nine-month ban on registering academy players, so Gabriel would have to wait until January to sign even if he chose Stamford Bridge.

The family's harsh take on United's decline mirrors what's happening with the senior team. United haven't won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013, and this season has started badly, with the club sitting 12th after a 1-1 draw with Fulham and just one win from five league games, plus an early Carabao Cup exit. It's an atmosphere far from the elite standard Gabriel's camp expects for his development.

United boss Michael Carrick has urged calm around the situation, keen to shield the teenager from added pressure.

"I think he's a young boy, JJ, and I think it's important that we certainly don't put anything out here," Carrick said. "I think the exposure and the scrutiny and everything that, you got to be careful and be sensible and think of him as much as anything."