Letting Elliot Anderson join Manchester City for a fee of 116 million pounds in the summer is already a significant loss for Manchester United. But if a few months later, they continue to witness the brightest gem of the academy leaving Old Trafford, the story will become much more serious.
Man United has not given up hope of persuading JJ Gabriel to stay. However, if the 15-year-old player leaves, the message sent to the rest of the club will not be pleasant at all. Even the most promising talents of the academy may no longer see Old Trafford as an ideal destination for the future.
This is not the first time Gabriel has faced the possibility of leaving Man United. Last year, there was a time when this young striker was said to be about to move to Man City. At that time, Football Director Jason Wilcox convinced Gabriel and his family that the most suitable path for development was still Man United.
This information was kept secret at that time and was only revealed by the media a few months later. This time, everything was completely different. Gabriel's official request to cancel his registration to become a free player, only about 3 weeks before his 16th birthday, was made public. For Man United, it was a real shock.
Gabriel is considered one of the most outstanding talents who grew up from the Man United academy. It is not certain where this talent will reach in his career, but Gabriel's potential is large enough to make many top clubs interested.
In recent years, Man United has witnessed a clear decline in their position since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. In the last 13 seasons, they have finished outside the top 4 Premier League teams 7 times.
That is the context that makes Anderson's choice of Man City instead of Man United more understandable. "The Red Devils" are currently struggling to compete with city rivals in terms of both on-field performance and financial potential. But if Gabriel also leaves, the story will touch on a more sensitive aspect: the appeal of the academy itself.
This is what makes Man United's leadership worried. They are trying to reaffirm themselves as the top destination for young talents. This week, the club is expected to complete the recruitment of two 16-year-old players David Eze and Karim Cassim from Man City, along with another 16-year-old talent Isaac Konde from Liverpool.
Such deals show that Man United still wants to become a gathering place for promising young players. But the fact that a talent sought after around the world is trying to leave can create a completely opposite effect.
In particular, the academy is always one of Man United's greatest prides. After many years of the first team not achieving the expected results, the players who grew up from Carrington still give fans the belief that the future is not completely dark.
Man United affirmed that they have done everything possible to keep Gabriel. This young player was once built a special development plan by Man United. Ruben Amorim spent about 20 minutes talking with Gabriel and his family, presenting his ambitions for this young talent. Sir Alex Ferguson also participated in similar discussions, while Michael Carrick continued to discuss his future.
Support for Gabriel comes from many departments in the club. Man United also affirmed that if the problem lies in finance, they do not want to lose ground in the salary competition. M.U's leadership believes that a clear path has been drawn for the 15-year-old player.
But it seems that those things are still not enough. The reality is inevitable that Man United no longer possesses the appeal of their peak period. They have to compete fiercely to convince young talents, while instability on the field and increasingly strong reactions from fans continue to cast a shadow over Old Trafford.
