Man Utd wonderkid JJ Gabriel ready to make shock U-turn

30 Sept 2026 14:35 BST | 2 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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JJ Gabriel’s future has been the subject of intense speculation over the last week, but the young Manchester United star’s destiny could take a twist that no one saw coming.

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Gabriel has been headline news in recent days following his desire to leave Man Utd going public. This has sparked intense interest from many clubs, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich all interested in signing the teenager to a training contract when he turns 16 on 6 October.

Key to this deal is Gabriel’s dual nationality, with his EU passport making him eligible to leave the UK and join a European club.

And his family background could open up a surprising door.

Could JJ Gabriel play for Greece?

Much has been made of Gabriel’s Irish roots and Cypriot mother, yet it is claimed that the Greek FA has been approached to make them aware of a link that could lead to him representing the 2004 European champions.

In a discussion on Sport24, it was revealed: “I haven't seen him play myself, but I've read about him and followed his development. He's a midfielder who can play pretty much anywhere - he could probably even play in goal if you asked him. He's already playing at the top level for his age group and has two appearances for England U17s.

“If you look at what is being written abroad about players with Greek connections, you'll see that there are constant efforts to identify people who could potentially represent Greece. In many cases, there have been attempts to bring players with clear Greek roots into the national teams.

“This was a slightly different case. There had been no previous reports about Gabriel or his parents. We knew that his father was half Irish and half Trinidadian and that his mother was Greek-Cypriot. The people working for the Greek national teams were informed that, if they wanted to look into it, there could be a Greek connection.

© IMAGO - JJ Gabriel in friendly action for Man Utd against Atletico Madrid

“We’re not saying what will happen, what has happened or what will ultimately be decided. We're simply reporting that this is something the national team has looked into.

“I'm not saying that anything will necessarily come of it again. I'm just saying that this isn't the end of the story. Obviously, the process is ongoing.”

The interest in Gabriel’s international future comes as uncertainty continues to surround his Man Utd future, with his agent allegedly driving the situation.

The journalist continued: “Ali Barat made an official request a few days after the story was published for the Greek Football Federation to look into his eligibility, because for players under the age of 16, a special process is required.

“So, everything that had been happening in England suddenly came to the attention of the national team, and they were told: ‘Look into this. There is a Greek connection.’”