JJ Gabriel's Barcelona pathway has just become even more complicated

Manchester United academy talent JJ Gabriel is in Barcelona holding talks over a possible move to the Catalan side after he turns 16 next month, but his pathway to senior minutes there is far from clear.

When JJ Gabriel dropped the bombshell that he wanted to leave Manchester United last week, it caught the club and supporters off guard, considering it came hours before he was due to debut against Brighton.

The timing was weird as the request came after his hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League, after which he was clearly looking happy with his teammates and coaches. It makes very little sense, besides the behind-the-scenes figures guiding his decision-making.

Gabriel’s whole reason is that he is unhappy with his lack of first-team chances at the age of 15, which is incredible to think that he has only been eligible to play six games for United. But with Barcelona looking like Gabriel’s preferred destination, it raises the question: Does he really see a better pathway there?

Barcelona pathway gets even tougher for JJ Gabriel

Manchester United’s first-team right now is streets away from the quality of Barcelona’s. This is why United were planning to give JJ Gabriel a chance in the cup, because he feasibly could offer something.

But for Barcelona, Gabriel surely faces a much steeper pathway to senior minutes with Raphinha, Anthony Gordon, Fermin Lopez, Jesse Biwisu, and Toni Fernandez all options in the left and attacking midfield roles that Gabriel would probably compete in.

These players are either big-money senior players or more physically ready young players, leaving Gabriel surely playing no higher than the reserve side for Barcelona, which was where he was for United, thus making the game time complaints void.

Adding to all this, Barcelona have just agreed to sign 16-year-old Dany Freire, according to Fabrizio Romano, who is another talent in the position of Gabriel, who is taller, quicker, and more developed.

Barring something massively changing, Gabriel won’t make it as a winger and will instead be shoehorned into the attacking midfield, where he doesn’t need the explosiveness, speed, or physicality required on the wing.

It would be an uphill battle for Gabriel at Barcelona, more so at Real Madrid, who are the other interested club. Barcelona are just hoovering up talent, and Gabriel is a player who deserves to be treated like he is special, which United were doing.

Instead, he will become a number for Barcelona. The best move for his career would be to develop at United, play a lot of first-team football in the next few seasons, and make the dream move to Barcelona if they still want him as a £100m signing – this move feels destined to fail for him.

If he isn’t given priority, how long until those around him are looking for another new club? Gabriel needs to stand up and make decisions for himself. He always seemed happy at United, and first-team minutes were coming. So why throw that away for such an uncertain situation in Barcelona?