Barcelona sporting director Deco has dismissed suggestions that the club is looking to sign Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel.
The 15-year-old visited Barcelona after telling United earlier this month that he intended to leave Old Trafford.
Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain have also reportedly shown an interest in signing him.
Speaking at a news conference, Deco said there was nothing to discuss regarding the youngster.
He explained that players are frequently linked with Barcelona because there is a significant transfer market surrounding footballers, including those at youth level.
Deco added that Barcelona is not considering any player in Gabriel’s circumstances. He said the club does not know the full details, including whether the teenager remains with Manchester United, and has no involvement in the matter.
He also stressed that the situation would need to be fully understood before any action could be considered and said discussing teenage players in such circumstances was not Barcelona’s concern.
Gabriel has not taken part in United training since scoring three goals on his Uefa Youth League debut on 10 September.
Competition regulations mean he cannot represent another team in this season’s tournament.
However, he may be able to move to an EU club after turning 16 on 6 October if he secures a European Union passport through his father, a former Republic of Ireland international, or his mother, who is of Greek-Cypriot descent.
United manager Michael Carrick recently called on people to take a measured and responsible approach to the attention and public scrutiny surrounding the young player.
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
