Ligue 1 giants Marseille are interested in snatching Hannibal Mejbri from the grasp of Manchester United this year.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester United wonderkid, Hannibal Mejbri is being courted by Ligue 1 giants Marseille. The youngster is currently on loan Championship outfit Birmingham City.
Manchester United grabbed the 19-year-old from another French club AS Monaco in the summer of 2019 and integrated him into the academy. The Tunisian international has been very lively at various youth levels for the Red Devils and even featured in a few matches with the first team.
The Red Devils have had pretty high hopes for the prodigious midfielder. But that has not shaped according to the plan, and the player has only been limited to shining on loan so far. He has earned rave plaudits for his performance for Birmingham. But the Blues are languishing in the 16th place in the Championship standings.
But Marseille feel this is the right time to convince the Manchester United prodigy to return to Ligue 1. The stint at Birmingham City is Hannibal Mejbri’s first major involvement for a senior setup. And he has done pretty well for himself, racking up three assists in the proceedings in the second tier.
One needs to count on the various complications the English second tier offers as matches do come in very thick and fast. And a youngster like Mejbri has coped up really well. Erik ten Hag has already incorporated Alejandro Garnacho quite nicely into the senior side, and Mejbri would be expecting similar opportunities if he continues his development for the Midlands outfit.
Manchester United decided to sell James Garner to Everton, even though the youngster was regarded as one of the most talented prospects to have emerged from their academy. But lack of adequate chances forced the player to settle for a move to Merseyside. However, Mejbri can take heart from Garnacho’s situation, with the young prodigy set to receive a new contract.
Marseille have had the knack of reshaping young players into top-class footballers and have done that with the likes of Matteo Guendouzi and Nuno Tavares. The final call will remain with ten Hag. And the Manchester United manager will definitely test the mettle of the player before reaching a conclusion.