During the January transfer window, Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri agreed to a loan move to Sevilla for the rest of the season, aiming to secure regular playing time due to the lack of opportunities at Old Trafford. The deal includes an option for the La Liga outfit to make the move permanent for £20 million, including add-ons, and contains a buy-back clause.
This presents a sterling opportunity for the Tunisian international to gain valuable exposure in Spain’s top division, impress Erik ten Hag, and potentially increase his market value. Since arriving in England to sign for United in 2019 at 16 from AS Monaco’s Youth Academy, Hannibal has made 13 first-team appearances for Manchester United, following his promotion from the youth ranks.
Despite multiple offers from Premier League rivals Everton, Bundesliga’s Freiburg, and Dutch team PSV Eindhoven, Mejbri temporarily moved to the Europa League champions. The French-born midfielder began the current campaign on a positive note, operating in an advanced number 10 role under Erik ten Hag. He has made 10 appearances, including four starts, across all competitions.
This season, he scored his first goal for the senior team in a 3-1 victory over Brighton at Old Trafford. Unfortunately, under the Dutch manager’s system, he found himself lower in the pecking order, spending much of the early half of the season warming the bench. Whereas, fellow academy graduates Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have solidified their positions in Erik ten Hag’s plans, surpassing the Tunisian talent.
The story of Mejbri’s Sevilla endeavors so far
The turn of the year 2024 has brought significant events for Hannibal Mejbri. The midfielder missed out on the Tunisia Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad in 2023, despite being a superstar figure for his national team, and weeks later made a move to Spain to join Sevilla on loan. He was among the 13 names that left Man United during the mid-season.
“I’ve heard a lot about them, I can’t wait to see them, play for them, and hopefully, they can like me as much as I like them,” Mejbri stated upon his arrival at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. However, things haven’t been as great as his aspirations.
Hannibal’s fiery nature has created trouble for the player at Manchester United, extending to barring his loan spell to a difficult start to life at the La Liga outfit. Sevilla’s backroom staff had raised complaints over his behavior and fallen out in the eyes of manager Quique Sanchez Flores.
Following the reports of his bust-up with the Sevilla teammate Mariano Diaz heated altercation carried through the dressing room. Consequently, the former France youth international was omitted from the squad for their Copa del Rey clash against Atlético Madrid, and the club announced he would be ruled out from selection for the foreseeable future.
À peine arrivé à Séville, Hannibal Mejbri est déjà écarté du groupe ! ❌
La raison ? Des problèmes de comportement et notamment une embrouille avec Mariano Diaz à l’entraînement.
(@mundodeportivo) pic.twitter.com/lBOo33HV48
— BeFootball (@_BeFootball) January 28, 2024
As things stand, the 21-year-old has only made four cameo appearances for Sevilla, clocking just 89 minutes of game time since his debut against Girona in January. On the brighter side of the situation, Hannibal earned his maiden start most recently in a 3-2 La Liga victory over Real Sociedad earlier this month, enjoying 53 minutes of play before being subbed off.
Nevertheless, his performance couldn’t impress Sevilla’s boss, Quique Sánchez Flores, and he was relegated to a bench role in the club’s latest fixture as an unused sub. This marked the fourth occasion when he was an unused substitute for Sevilla.
The versatile midfielder has been under scrutiny for his disciplinary measures. Despite possessing a handful of experience on both international and club levels, he still has a long way to go to mature as a professional. A permanent move to Sevilla is practically ruled out, as his initial days in Spain have raised concerns.
