MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United's academy has been rocked by a request from 15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel, widely regarded as one of the most gifted prospects to emerge from the club's youth system in years, to have his contract cancelled following what reports describe as a breakdown in relations between his family and the club.

Gabriel, nicknamed "Kid Messi" for his dazzling dribbling and technical ability, had been expected to make his senior debut in Wednesday night's EFL Cup match against Brighton at Old Trafford. Instead, the Enfield-born youngster will not be considered for the squad after informing the club of his desire to end his contract, which had been due to expire at the end of the season.

Under Premier League academy regulations, United are not obligated to grant the request. The rules governing youth registrations state that a player's registration may only be cancelled if the club, the player and the player's parent or guardian all agree. If the parties cannot reach agreement, any of them may ask the Premier League to issue a binding decision on the termination request. United are said to retain hope that the situation can still be resolved, though the rules leave much of the immediate decision in Gabriel's and his family's hands.

The precise cause of the breakdown between Gabriel's family and the club has not been made public, though a lack........

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