The blow-up between United and Gabriel's family and representatives was always going to happen. Though for this column, the big shock is how blatantly public the player's camp has made it. Demanding he be de-registered by United. Wiping all mentions of the club from his social channels. Those managing the 15 year-old have created a situation where there can be no way back for the player. Which is why Jason Wilcox, United's sporting director, and Christopher Vivell, his No2, would do well to advise chief exec Omar Berrarda to stop swimming against the tide and let the kid go.
As we say, this was always on the cards. Eighteen months ago and what we're seeing now played out in the press was occurring behind the scenes at Carrington. This time, it wasn't Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich in Gabriel's ear, but Manchester City. United's great rivals really believed they could tempt Gabriel to the Etihad Campus as he was turning 14 years of age. And as City's push was telegraphed through local youth recruitment circles, London's biggest - including Chelsea - also made their pitch, hoping to convince the family to return home.
Again, just like today, United's management were forced to scramble. Threats of de-registration were raised. Marathon talks with family and representatives were held. And eventually, this time, things calmed down and Gabriel was happy (and allowed) to continue his career with United.
But a line had been drawn. A precedent set. And for this column, the events of the past week were always inevitable.
Football Presse spoke with Wes Brown over 18 months ago about this kid we were hearing about running around the pitches at Carrington. In his role as an MUTV pundit, the United Champions League winner was well aware of Gabriel when we raised the then 14 year-old's name.
"If you watch him, he has been very consistent for his age. The way he moves with the ball, the way he expresses himself, it is very interesting," said Brown. "Talent wise, you cannot take away that he has something special."
As Brown says, Gabriel is a talent. An incredible talent. A player with world-beating potential. But he was never a Manchester United player. Not a full-throated, fully committed United player. Of course, the London roots are there - he's spent time inside both Chelsea and Arsenal's academies. But the doubts over his commitment run deeper than location. Ever since Gabriel was registered with United, speculation has swirled around him regarding his future. Some of it manufactured. Some of it pushed from inside his camp. But it has always been known that Gabriel's situation would be built on shifting sand.
It's why he's now in Spain this weekend, visiting both Barcelona's La Masia complex and potentially the La Fabrica of Real Madrid. In terms of coveted talent inside United's academy, Gabriel is no Robinson Crusoe. But what is significant is that whenever these major clubs have come knocking, the enquiries have been encouraged. The door has always been left ajar. Gabriel was (and still is) a registered Manchester United player in name - but in heart? In commitment? Sporting directors across England and Europe always knew the real story.
Juni Calafat, Real Madrid's chief scout, knew this. The man who trumped Barca to convince Vinicius Junior to choose Real when leaving Flamengo nine years ago has been in steady contact with Gabriel's camp since last year. Bayern Munich have also now gone public, with the club's technical chief Christophe Freund announcing their interest as news of the de-registration demand broke. We've since learned that Bastian Wernscheid, the former FC Koln midfielder, has been speaking with Gabriel's family since February in his role as Freund's assistant.
For United and the staff inside Carrington, this is nothing new. There's always players in the U14 and U16 age groups being targeted by clubs abroad. The difference being, those enquiries are shut down quickly by family members. Indeed, for Gabriel, it would be worth United fans following the rise of Jaice Dore. A few months younger than Gabriel, Dore plays in a similar fashion and dominated the Snow Bowl Tournament in the USA earlier this year, hitting a hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund no less. An England youth international, Dore's name will feature in every major sporting director's note-book across Europe - but there's been no speculation about him quitting Carrington.
The contrast with Gabriel is clear. His father, Joe O'Cearuill, has long known he had something special on his hands. The former Arsenal and Brighton defender even had his son change his name, believing 'JJ Gabriel' would eventually prove more marketable. As we say, shifting sands...
Which is why United should allow the kid to leave. This doubt over Gabriel's commitment will never go away now that everything has been made public. No matter the form. Whether it's a slump or he's hit the heights, the transfer rumours will flow. The speculation will intensify. And it will all become an ever-increasing distraction and something that will dog him for the rest of his United career. Fans won't buy into him. Teammates will always question him. Rightly or wrongly, it will be Paul Pogba on steroids. It's just the nature of the game.
United's youth recruitment staff have achieved great things over the past 18 months. Tynan Thompson. The Fletcher twins. Chido Obi. First teamer Ayden Heaven. And now David Eze and Karim Cassim have arrived from Manchester City and England U16 captain Isaac Konde from Liverpool. This is the reality of today's youth football. Players are swapping clubs - major clubs - like never before. The loss of Gabriel should be no knock on how United are selling their academy system to the next targeted prospect.
Gabriel's departure is simply part of that system. That it has been played out so publicly is different. But as talented as the player is, potential is no guarantee. And United would do well to focus more on what they have than one individual who was never ever fully committed to the cause.