The family of the talented youngster asked Manchester United to terminate his contract last week, and since then, Gabriel has not trained with the team. The Daily Mail reports that the family's decision was partly due to the lack of playing time in the Champions League match against FK Sabah. VoetbalPrimeur also states that the family is dissatisfied with Manchester United's sporting decline since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure.
From Gabriel's perspective, Manchester United is far behind clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern München. Even within England, Arsenal and Manchester City are seen as being further ahead. The family wants to find an environment where Gabriel can develop his talent optimally. Gabriel has already met with Barcelona and Real Madrid, and it is likely that he will leave Manchester United.