Wantaway Manchester United teenager JJ Gabriel will have to wait until January before he can leave Old Trafford, according to a report.

Last month, the 16-year-old wonderkid allegedly expressed his desire to leave the Red Devils and have his registration terminated, allowing him to depart immediately rather than wait until the winter transfer window opens.

Gabriel is pushing for an exit after having five demands rejected by Man United, including a seven-figure salary as well a earning at least 20 minutes of first-team football under Michael Carrick in fixtures against Sabah FK, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth.

According to Football Insider, Gabriel’s departure is seen as ‘inevitable’, but the youngster must wait until the January transfer window opens, as the Red Devils still have no intention of terminating his registration.

After turning down a scholarship deal at Man United, Gabriel will officially be free to leave Old Trafford at the start of 2027, but the Red Devils will not receive a transfer fee for the attacker given his age.

Instead, a low compensation payment is expected from the club that eventually wins the race for his signature.

While an immediate decision over Gabriel’s future is not on the cards, two European giants have emerged as the frontrunners to secure his services.

Real Madrid, PSG to go head-to-head for JJ Gabriel in January

It has previously been reported that La Liga champions Barcelona and Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich held talks with Gabriel’s representatives in recent weeks.

However, it is now understood that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain are the two clubs who will now go head-to-head in their attempts to sign Gabriel, with a move to either team deemed his most likely destination.

Both clubs are said to be ready to move for Gabriel in the New Year as they highly rate his undoubted talent and potential for a player of his age.

Gabriel has allegedly received the biggest assurances from Real Madrid, who are prepared to agree to his demands of an £8.5m contract over three years, while it remains to be seen whether PSG will match those requests.

At the age of 11, London-born Gabriel joined Man United’s academy having previously had spells at youth level with Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham United.

He made his Under-18s debut for the Red Devils at the age of just 14 and went on to score a whopping 29 goals in 32 appearances before linking up with the senior squad for pre-season over the summer.

However, Gabriel is said to feel undervalued at Man United after featuring for only eight minutes as a substitute in a friendly against Atletico Madrid on August 1, while he is yet to make his competitive first-team debut.