Manchester United target Norwegian wonderkid Gabriel Rajkovic to replace outgoing teenager JJ Gabriel

According to The Sun, Manchester United are tracking 15-year-old Rajkovic as a potential replacement for Gabriel. The forward recently stunned the club by requesting to cancel his registration to become a free agent. He had been in line to feature in the Carabao Cup against Brighton last Wednesday, which would have made him the youngest player in the club's history.

Instead, Gabriel is pursuing a move elsewhere, with Barcelona and Real Madrid interested, alongside Chelsea. Consequently, United sent a scout to Oslo on Sunday to watch Rajkovic play for Valerenga against Fredrikstad, aiming to beat competing clubs to the Norwegian's signature.

Rajkovic has already built a formidable reputation in Norway after making his senior debut as a 14-year-old in January. The winger scored his first Eliteserien goal in a 2-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt last month aged 15 years and 166 days. This achievement comfortably eclipsed the milestone set by Manchester City striker Haaland, who scored his first top-flight goal aged 17 years and 16 days.

Rajkovic is now the second-youngest scorer in the history of the Norwegian league, sitting just behind Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. He followed up his maiden strike with another goal in a 2-2 draw against Sarpsborg, taking his tally to two goals and one assist in 14 appearances this season.

Valerenga are fully aware of the mounting interest in their academy graduate and have protected his value. Unlike Gabriel, Rajkovic is tied to a contract in Oslo until December 2028 and has previously turned down offers to train at major European clubs.

Reports in Norway suggest that Valerenga could demand a fee of around £16 million to sanction a sale. If that figure is met, it would smash the club's transfer record. However, strict regulations mean he is unable to finalise a move abroad until he turns 16 in February 2027. For now, the left-footed attacker remains focused on continuing his impressive development in the Eliteserien.

Gabriel must resolve his immediate future as Manchester United attempt to navigate his unprecedented request to terminate his registration. If his contract is cancelled, a fierce battle between Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Chelsea will commence. Meanwhile, United will continue monitoring Rajkovic closely over the coming months. They must decide whether to match the £16m valuation before the Norwegian turns 16 next year.