Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel has reversed part of a social media decision that came amid reports he wanted to leave the club, while former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has revealed he once held a private meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson about joining United.
United have 10 days before their next Premier League fixture, with many of their players away on international duty or working at the club during the extended break.
Michael Carrick’s side had endured a difficult start before the interruption. They have lost to Hull City and Manchester City in five league matches, beaten Ipswich Town 5-2 and drawn with Everton and Fulham.
Those results came alongside a Champions League victory over Sabah FK and a 3-2 Carabao Cup third-round defeat by Brighton.
Gabriel restores two Instagram posts
Gabriel, regarded as one of Manchester United’s most promising young players, removed all content from his Instagram account earlier in September. Reports subsequently emerged that the 15-year-old wanted to leave the club.
United have denied cancelling his registration. That is understood to be his only immediate route out because he is too young to sign either a scholarship or professional contract.
However, Gabriel turns 16 on 6 October. At that point, United would be unable to prevent him leaving for another European club if he secured the necessary documentation. Barcelona and Real Madrid have been among the clubs linked with the youngster.
Gabriel has not appeared to reverse his position over his future, but two posts have now been restored to his Instagram profile.
One shows him after signing a long-term contract with Nike in late 2025. The other shows Gabriel receiving the 2025/26 Under-18 Premier League Player of the Season Award, standing alongside Alan Shearer with the trophy.
Instagram users can archive posts and return them to their feed later. Deleted content can also be recovered within 30 days, although it is not known which method Gabriel used.
Vieira recalls Ferguson approach
Vieira, now Senegal head coach, has also disclosed that Ferguson once wanted to take him from Arsenal to Manchester United.
The Frenchman spent nine years with Arsenal, from 1996 to 2005, winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. During that period, Arsenal and United were fierce rivals, with Vieira and Roy Keane developing a particularly intense contest.
Vieira said Ferguson wanted him to play alongside Keane and that the pair met to discuss a possible move. The date of the meeting is unknown, although United were linked with Vieira in 2003.
“I had an opportunity to move to Manchester United,” Vieira told Sky Sports. “I had a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson. Full respect, I couldn’t say no to meeting him because he was an important figure in the Premier League.
“We met and we talked and he explained to me his vision that he had for Manchester United and the team that he wanted to build. He wanted to play me with Keane, [Ryan] Giggs on the left-hand side, David Beckham on the right-hand side and [Paul] Scholes to play behind [Ruud] van Nistelrooy, so it wasn’t a bad team.
“But I couldn’t leave Arsenal, I was too happy there and we were on the way of building something quite really special for the club and that’s the way it was. I felt the love from the club, from the players and from the fans. Everything was there for me to grow up as a player and to achieve what I wanted to.”
