Real Madrid are closing in on the signing of young talent JJ Gabriel, who has already begun training in the Spanish capital ahead of his move to Castilla.
In an exclusive interview with Madrid newspaper "Marca", the 16-year-old opened up on his ambitions and his future, and laid bare his greatest dream.
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The Spanish newspaper handed Gabriel his first front cover, the very one announcing his anticipated switch to Real Madrid. He looked at it and smiled, then asked: "Can I keep it?", standing there holding it like a child clutching his favourite card.
For days now the teenager has been living in the city he hopes to make his home, wandering its streets and, above all, training twice a day. The first session comes in the morning on the grass, alone, under the eye of a personal coach. The second takes place in the evening at the gym.
All this follows his decision to step away from the daily grind of Manchester United's reserve team, the club to which he remains officially tied.
Why Real and not Barcelona?
His choice leaves no room for doubt. Asked why he picked Real Madrid over Barcelona, he answered with his expression before he even spoke: "Madrid, of course."
Beside him, his father Joe Osiaruwel, a former footballer, says the same thing amid the laughter. Father and son welcome the newspaper warmly, but JJ did not come to Madrid without clear goals. As he says in his English before leaving, thanking them for the gift: "My dream is to win the Ballon d'Or." Then he walks off clutching his copy of "Marca".
Gabriel cannot play in the UEFA Youth League in a Real Madrid shirt this season, the competition in which he previously shone with a hat-trick. He remains tied to Manchester United, who keep his name on their records despite him having stopped training with the Red Devils.
Reasons for the delay
Regulations and timings explain the delay in announcing the deal. Article 19 of FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players generally prohibits the international transfer of players before they turn 18. It does, however, allow an exception for players aged between 16 and 18 who hold European nationality and move within the European area.
FIFA's guidelines state that a player holding a passport from an EU country can benefit from this exception, even if he arrives from outside the EU. That makes the Irish passport held by JJ Gabriel a decisive factor in completing the deal.
Timing adds another layer. The January winter window will be the first that allows him to be officially registered, so the delay in announcing the deal comes as no surprise, according to those close to the player.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are weighing up how to replace a player of high potential, a painful loss for the club.
Should JJ Gabriel's move to Real Madrid go through, with Madrid counting as a foreign club from the British perspective, United will pocket training compensation estimated at around 350,000 pounds sterling.