In what may come as a surprising update to Manchester United supporters, it’s been confirmed that Hannibal Mejbri will not be taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations, as he is set to leave the club on loan in January.
Fabrizio Romano announced the exclusive news on Thursday morning after Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat were called up for AFCON with Cameroon and Morocco respectively.
Hannibal looked set to feature at the tournament with Tunisia, however, it seems as though a January loan transfer will now be his priority over the winter window.
The 20-year-old has been granted nine appearances this term; five in the Premier League, two in the Champions League and two in the Carabao Cup. He was named in the starting 11 for four of these outings and has tallied a total of 327 minutes worth of action.
At the beginning of the term, it was reported that Hannibal had rebuffed interest from clubs in favour of staying at Old Trafford and earning a starting role, but the depth and experience in Erik ten Hag’s squad have seen his minutes limited in favour of more senior players – or for fellow youth prospect Kobbie Mainoo, who has received plaudits every time he’s taken to the pitch.
Hannibal set for January loan
Now, the midfielder has set his sights on a mid-season departure to ply his trade elsewhere and prove his abilities in a senior setup. Romano revealed that the three teams currently pursuing Hannibal’s signature are Sevilla, Olympique Lyonnais and Freiburg, adding that ‘they all want him’.
🔴🇹🇳 EXCL: Hannibal Mejbri, not going to AFCON as he can leave Man Utd to go on loan in January.
Understand 3 clubs want to sign him — they all want him available in Jan/Feb.
🇪🇸 Sevilla
🇫🇷 Olympique Lyon
🇩🇪 Freiburg…meanwhile, talks to extend his #MUFC deal are underway. pic.twitter.com/ZQ8wKbwxNe
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 28, 2023
The Red Devils, while negotiating a potential loan, are also in talks to extend the youngster’s deal to ensure his future is tied to United for the foreseeable future.
