Manchester United fended off Man City approach for teen starlet JJ Gabriel
Manchester United successfully fought off an approach from rivals Manchester City last summer to retain their highly-rated 15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel, according to a report from The Telegraph. The teenage prospect, who has scored 25 goals for United's Under-18 side this season, is considered one of England's brightest young talents and has trained with Erik ten Hag's first-team squad on multiple occasions during the 2025-26 campaign.
The report indicates that Manchester City attempted to lure Gabriel across the city, prompting significant concern within Old Trafford that they could lose one of their most promising academy products. United officials were ultimately able to convince the player to remain and continue his development with the club. The interest from the reigning Premier League champions underscores Gabriel's rapidly growing reputation within the game.
Further illustrating his potential, it is claimed that European giants Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid are all monitoring Gabriel's progress. This external interest places additional importance on United's long-term project and their ability to provide a clear pathway to first-team football for their elite youth prospects, a factor that likely played a key role in his decision to stay.
In other transfer news concerning Manchester United, the club's pursuit of a midfielder to replace the departing Casemiro faces a significant financial hurdle. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Nottingham Forest have set an asking price for United's priority target, Elliot Anderson, that would exceed the Premier League transfer record for a midfielder. That record is currently the €121 million Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.
Ornstein suggests both Manchester United and Manchester City, who see Anderson as a potential replacement for Bernardo Silva, are interested but must decide if they are willing to meet Forest's demands. United are also monitoring several other midfield options, including Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Brighton's Carlos Baleba, as they plan a major summer rebuild.
Meanwhile, Turkish outlet Takvim reports that Galatasaray are preparing an ambitious offer for United captain Bruno Fernandes. The move is reportedly being driven by club president Dursun Ozbek as part of his re-election campaign promises. While Fernandes is generally believed to be keen on staying at United, especially with the club returning to the Champions League, the interest from Turkey adds another layer to his future.
In wide areas, United's reported interest in Newcastle's Anthony Gordon has suffered a blow, with FootballTransfers exclusively revealing that Arsenal are set to submit an official bid and hold a significant advantage as the player prefers a move to London. Furthermore, the club has received a mixed review on another reported target, AC Milan's Rafael Leao. Former defender Marcel Desailly told the Italian Football Podcast that while Leao possesses Ballon d'Or potential and can produce moments of magic, he lacks the consistency to be a team's main man throughout an entire season.
