JJ Gabriel has been included in Manchester United's official team photo for this season but there remains no hint of a reconciliation with the club as new details of his efforts to leave Old Trafford emerge. The teenage forward - who turns 16 on Tuesday - features in the photographs that were released on Monday. It is understood the pictures were taken on 8 September - two days before he played his final game for the club and informed them of his intention to leave.
It is virtually certain his next involvement in a United game will be as an opposition player. United still hold his registration and, according to sources close to Old Trafford, the club have made multiple attempts to reconcile the situation as part of their duty of care to the teenager. So far, it has been to no avail.
Gabriel is now a target for several of Europe's top clubs, with Real Madrid and Barcelona among those taking a keen interest. He now has a European Union passport, which is thought could smooth his passage to the continent. However, while no clubs have approached United so far, they would consider legal action if any evidence of an illegal inducement by a club or agent - that would contravene regulations in relation to young players - was to emerge.
While tensions between Gabriel's camp and United had been simmering for a number of months, sources have told BBC Sport the player's decision to seek a move away was ultimately triggered by his non-inclusion in Michael Carrick side for the Champions League encounter with Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK on 10 September. The youngster's camp had expressed a desire for Gabriel to be used as a substitute against Sabah - which, on paper, was the easiest of United's league-phase games. Sources say the prospect of the Londoner coming on against Brighton in the EFL Cup on 16 September was also discussed, with United officials subsequently insistent that was the plan.
Had he played in either match, Gabriel would have become United's youngest ever player. However, by the time the encounter with Fabian Hurzeler's side arrived, the striker had already told the club of his intention to quit and had left the country. Gabriel could not play against Sabah because he had not been registered on United's Uefa A list of players when it was announced on 3 September.
The precise reasons for this have not been made clear. It did not prevent him scoring a hat-trick in a Uefa Youth League game against them at Leigh Sports Village earlier on 10 September. While he has not been back to United since, it is not clear whether anything significant happened after that game.
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