Transfer Centre

Manchester United 'angered by midfielder's loan situation'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 28 March 2024

Man Utd 'angered by midfielder's loan situation'

Hannibal Mejbri's lack of action on loan at Sevilla in the second half of the 2023-24 campaign has allegedly 'angered' Manchester United.

Manchester United have reportedly been left 'angered' by Sevilla's use of Hannibal Mejbri.

The 21-year-old featured on 10 occasions for the Red Devils in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign, including five appearances in the Premier League, before joining Sevilla on loan in the middle of January.

The La Liga outfit allegedly have the option to sign Hannibal on a permanent basis this summer for €20m (£17m), with Man United thought to have a buyback option of around €35m (£30m).

However, the Tunisia international, as it stands, is unlikely to move to Estadio Ramon on a long-term deal, having struggled to make his mark since arriving during the winter market.

The midfielder has only made four appearances for Sevilla, totalling just 89 minutes, and he has been an unused substitute in the team's last two La Liga games with Almeria and Celta Vigo.

Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri on July 19, 2023 © Reuters

According to AS, Man United have been 'angered' by Sevilla's use of Hannibal, with the English club expecting him to feature on a regular basis for the Spanish outfit.

After his debut against Girona, Sevilla head coach Quique Sanchez Flores said that Hannibal would spend a period out of the team while he got used to his new surroundings.

"Hannibal, after speaking with him and seeing his first minutes in Girona, we have given him the necessary space for him to understand where he is, what Sevilla means and where we want to see him defending the shirt," the head coach told reporters at the time.

"We have given him that learning period so that he can see things from the outside and he will return to the squad as one more player and as a player who we hope will contribute a lot until the end of the season.

"In the end, he has landed in a great club like Sevilla, in circumstances which require maximum demand and that require a bit of location.

Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores before the match on January 25, 2024 © Reuters

"Sometimes, things look better from the outside than from the inside and, from our point of view, I had to take a step for him to see how we organise ourselves. We want him to apply it and we believe he will understand perfectly what we want."

Sevilla are currently locked in a relegation battle in Spain's top flight, sitting 16th in the La Liga table, just six points clear of 18th-placed Cadiz.

The Spanish outfit's injury situation has eased in recent weeks, suggesting that Hannibal will continue to struggle to secure regular action in the latter stages of the campaign.

As a result, the Tunisia international will seemingly head back to Old Trafford this summer, with Man United then facing a decision over whether to keep him or sanction another exit, either on a short-term or long-term basis.

Hannibal made the move to the 20-time English champions from Monaco in 2019, and he has represented the club on 13 occasions at first-team level, scoring one goal in the process.