The teenager has been at the centre of a dispute with United after asking the club to deregister him. The request was rejected, while Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all been linked with an interest in the youngster.
Former Manchester United assistant and scout Mick Brown has now questioned whether the club would be better off without Gabriel, despite his obvious talent.
“There is a feeling, of course, that Manchester United might be better off without JJ Gabriel,” Brown told Football Insider.
“Regardless of his obvious talent, this situation has cast doubt on his character and that of the people around him. Is that the kind of player you want to have at the club?”
Brown said he had followed Gabriel closely with United’s academy sides and claimed to have noticed differences in the way his Under-21 team-mates reacted to him compared with other players.
“When someone scores, everyone runs towards him, jumps and hugs him. But sometimes, when JJ Gabriel has scored, yes, they go over to celebrate with him, they give him a high five and then they all trot back,” Brown said.
“He doesn't seem to receive the same welcome.”
Brown attributed that to what he described as “a matter of arrogance and attitude”, suggesting some team-mates could feel that Gabriel regarded them as inferior because he has already trained regularly with the first team.
He also acknowledged that his interpretation could be wrong.
“It is a shame and maybe I am reading too much into it. But it reinforces the idea that maybe they are better off without him,” Brown said.
Gabriel has meanwhile made changes to his social media presence. After wiping his verified Instagram profile two weeks ago, he has re-added a post from February 2025 announcing his long-term Nike contract and images celebrating his Premier League Under-18 Player of the Year award.
He has also posted footage of individual training, having been working away from United’s Carrington training complex while his future is considered.
The teenager has been training with Jack Hunter, who worked with him on skills drills during the summer. Gabriel has appeared in Nike and England training gear in the footage, but there are still no pictures linking him to Manchester United on his social media account.
Manchester United sources reportedly do not expect Gabriel to return to the club after his request to be deregistered.
His agent Ali Barat has held discussions with Real Madrid and Bayern, while Gabriel was also recently in Barcelona.
The situation comes as United sit 12th in the Premier League with two wins in all competitions, adding another layer to the uncertainty surrounding one of the club’s most highly regarded young players.