Manchester United's 15-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel wants out, drawing interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid

Just turned 15, and already at the center of a transfer saga. That's the situation facing Manchester United with JJ Gabriel, the academy jewel who has asked to leave the club right as he appeared ready to break into the first team.

According to sources consulted by ESPN, Gabriel has already made his wish to leave known, and heavyweight competition has wasted no time showing up: both Barcelona and Real Madrid are closely monitoring the youngster's situation. United, for their part, believe they can still fix things and convince him to stay.

Why all the interest in a player who hasn't even made his senior debut? Just look at what he did recently in his UEFA Youth League debut against Sabah: a hat trick that confirmed what had already been buzzing around the academy. Gabriel turns 16 next month, and that detail matters, since it opens the door to moves that weren't previously possible.

The man who has spoken most authoritatively on the situation is Wayne Rooney, the club and England legend, who has known Gabriel for some time for a simple reason: the youngster has played alongside Kai, Rooney's own son. On Disney+'s Stick To Football show, the former striker didn't hide his concern.

I've watched JJ grow up, he's been in Kai's team. Anyone close to the situation knew this could happen. You have to give Manchester United credit, they've done everything, absolutely everything, to try to keep him.Wayne Rooney

Rooney went further, explaining why United have treated Gabriel differently from the rest of the academy kids: because the club knows what it means to have "that special player" at a big club. He went through something similar himself at Everton.

The club has probably treated him differently to other players because he's a special talent. I get it, because I was that player at Everton, I got that treatment at Everton. As a club, you have to do that to try to keep hold of your best players.Wayne Rooney

It's worth remembering where Rooney is coming from when he talks about precocious talent: he became the youngest top scorer in Premier League history when he scored for Everton at 16 years and 360 days, back in 2002. That record now belongs to Max Dowman of Arsenal, who broke it against Everton of all teams in March at 16 years and 73 days.

"It's mad that he could leave"

For Rooney, Gabriel's possible departure doesn't add up given where the youngster is in his development. He points to a player who has moved through several age groups and scored goals at each level, something that doesn't always come naturally to someone so young.

He's a top level player. His ability, his balance, he's already shown he can move up an age group and keep scoring goals. The next step is first team football, where everything is different, and you never really know until you're in it. But he's a special talent who understands the game really well. At some point this season he would have made his first team debut, I imagine, that's why it's so disappointing.Wayne Rooney

That one word sums up how Rooney feels about the whole situation: "disappointing." A young man he describes as "lovely" and "top class" who could leave Old Trafford right before making his first team bow. United still believe they can turn things around, but with Barcelona and Real Madrid already watching closely, JJ Gabriel's future has become one of the most eye catching sagas in English youth football.