If the last two weeks have taught the Manchester United fans anything, it’s that Ineos still have a long way to go rebuilding a club beset by ‘Glazer-nomics’.
The arrivals of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro were – rightly – seen as massive coups. Particularly the latter, Yoro arriving in a £52 million deal from Lille amid rival interest from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and long-time admirers Liverpool.
But as progress stalls, familiar problems have emerged. This was always going to be a window in which Manchester United had to sell before they could buy.
The departures of two academy graduates in Mason Greenwood and Willy Kambwala helped free up funds to bring Zirkzee and Yoro to Old Trafford. The sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham will see Noussair Mazraoui arrive from Bayern Munich.
But if you were wondering why Man United have not yet addressed the gaping hole at the heart of their midfield, the lack of movement can be explained by the fact that Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Scott McTominay and Hannibal Mejbri are all still members of Erik ten Hag’s squad.
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Manchester United hope to sell Hannibal Mejbri
Fulham, Sky Sports say, could now do like United did with Manuel Ugarte and walk away from a deal they feel is simply too expensive.
Eriksen has been linked only tentatively with Anderlecht. The much-discussed Saudi Arabian interest in Casemiro is yet to materialise.
As for Hannibal, a disastrous loan spell at Sevilla in the second half of last season certainly did little to put him in the shop window.
Fabrizio Romano, speaking to Give Me Sport, provided an update on the poodle-haired Tunisia international on Wednesday. And while there is still ‘interest’ – Rangers are keen while Scottish rivals Celtic have also been linked – United appear to have little appetite of green-lighting another loan deal.
Not when Hannibal is likely to have a bit-part role under Ten Hag.
And not when the 2019 acquisition from Monaco would aid the FA Cup winners’ considerably from a Financial Fair Play perspective if a permanent deal can be struck.
“Yes, there was an interest (from Rangers). It’s true,” Romano explains. “But Man United are only interested in permanent transfer. So, (that means) selling the player on a permanent transfer, not a new loan.
“And at the moment, for Rangers, that could be quite difficult.
“So the conversation is true, the interest is true. But the formula of the deal is going to be crucial to understand the future of Hannibal.”
Man United appear to value the tough-tackling 21-year-old at around £17 million.
That was the option-to-buy clause included in his Sevilla contract, per the Manchester Evening News. A clause the La Liga outfit were never going to trigger after Hannibal started only one top-flight game in five months over in Andalusia.
Former Sevilla loanee is keen to play first-team football
The former Birmingham City loanee has had his moments as a Man United player. He caught the eye against the likes of Galatasaray and Burnley at the start of last term, while opening his Red Devils account with a thumping consolation in that 3-1 home defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion.
But after falling behind Kobbie Mainoo and potentially fellow youngster Toby Collyer – rated highly by Ten Hag – Hannibal may have little choice but to pursue a permanent move if he wants to play week-in, week-out again.
“As a footballer, I just want to play and show myself. Every player will say the same. I’m tired of sitting on a bench watching others play,” Hannibal tells The National.
“Last season was OK when I was at United. But I felt I could have had a little bit more game time after the Brighton game when I scored. As a player you always want more, so I decided to go on loan to Sevilla.
“I experienced a lot of things there. It didn’t go well, but I feel like I learned a lot and that I’m more mature. I can feel that around the United players now.
He said: “I did good and felt progress at Birmingham. You progress when you get game time. When you play every week, it’s hard to go back to the bench.”
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