Manchester United have permitted Hannibal Mejbri to leave the club on loan, and we could be seeing him again soon.
Hannibal Mejbri is a talent Manchester United have believed highly in since investing £9 million to sign him from Monaco back in 2019. He was just 16 at the time and has gone onto become a Tunisia international and play 13 first team games for United.
But when it comes to really fulfilling his potential, Hannibal is not there yet. He is not playing regularly, and the club have decided to sanction a loan deal.
Worrying for some, Hannibal’s loan comes with an option to buy for Sevilla at around £17 million. United have acted smartly to ensure it is win-win.
Hannibal Mejbri clause
Manchester United have agreed a clause, reportedly at Ineos’ request, to keep some control of Hannibal’s future.
It will involve a buy-back clause at £30 million, which gives United the right to bring him back to Old Trafford in the future.
This would be double the fee United sold him for, but it would also be money well spent if Hannibal can fulfil his potential and become a top La Liga star.
Hannibal was compared to Luka Modric
Hannibal now needs regular playing time in a top league, and starring for Sevilla in La Liga can give him what he needs.
Tunisian Football Federation sporting director Mohamed Slim Ben Othman told The Athletic last year: “He has big physical abilities and is very selfless despite his large technical qualities.
“I see him as a central midfielder — similar to Luka Modric. He is someone with a big potential in this position and I think that even Manchester United see this and are trying to improve him as a box-to-box player. I see him like Paul Pogba in this role for his club. I hope that he will be happy in this position.”
Manchester United saw flashes from Hannibal during his spell at the club, but he was not given enough playing time for the first team to truly show what he was capable of.
If he were to go and spend two full seasons as a regular for Sevilla, there is a strong chance that a £30 million fee to sign him back ends up looking very cheap.
Buy option may not even be taken up
Fabrizio Romano reports that there is a strong chance Sevilla may not even take up the buy option to sign Hannibal permanently.
Speaking to The United Stand, he says finances in Spanish football make it a rarity for a La Liga side to splash out a large fee on a player, and suggests Hannibal will be returning to Old Trafford in the summer.
Perhaps, but if Hannibal plays well, Sevilla will surely be looking at trying to strike a deal, and do what they didn’t do with Anthony Martial and Alex Telles, sign a Manchester United loanee on a permanent basis.
It’s up to the midfielder to prove he is worth Sevilla making the exception for – and then to prove to Manchester United why he should be bought back in the future.
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