Hannibal Mejbri may only be 20 but he has already made his mark as a Manchester United first-team player and was handed a start by manager Erik ten Hag for the Premier League trip to Burnley on September 23, 2023.
A week after scoring a terrific goal against Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford, Hannibal impressed again at Turf Moor — and Ten Hag said he had done a "perfect job" in the hard-earned 1-0 win over the Clarets.
"The team, the squad, the staff and the fans all fighting together for the three points," Hannibal said on social media afterwards, alluding to United's turbulent start to the season, which included three consecutive defeats in all competitions before their first away victory.
Mejbri could not establish himself as a first-team starter during the first half of the 2023/24 season but was a regular on United's bench and was in demand from other clubs before opting to join UEFA Europa League holders Sevilla on loan.
The Sporting News runs through Hannibal's story so far, including his early clubs, style of play and stats for club and country.
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Who is Hannibal Mejbri?
Born in the Ivry-sur-Seine suburb of Paris on January 21 2003, Hannibal began his eight years with Paris FC — currently a French second-tier side — in 2009.
The prospect spent time at French national academy INF Clairefontaine and had a spell with sports club Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt in the French capital before joining Monaco for a reported €1million ($1.07m/£870k) in 2018.
Despite appearing in the UEFA Youth League for Monaco and attracting interest from major clubs, Hannibal told Pro Direct Soccer France that he had been training at home and had not played football for four months before United signed him during the 2019 summer transfer window.
United beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona to Hannibal's signature, paying Monaco €5m ($5.3m/£4.4m) which, according to the Manchester Evening News, could rise to twice that amount with add-ons.
Hannibal was capped by France at youth level but he switched to Tunisia in 2021 and made his debut for the Carthage Eagles in June 2021, proceeding to win the African Revelation of the Year award at the African Footballer of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022.
Jalel Kadri called Hannibal up for Tunisia's respectable campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and he made his first ever appearance at the finals when he came on 10 minutes from the end of their 0-0 draw with Denmark in their third game, going out with a third-placed finish and four points in Group D.
Domestically, Hannibal won United's Under-23s Player of the Year award in 2021 and made his senior debut when he replaced Juan Mata late in their final match of the 2020/21 season against Wolves.
The club had given him a new long-term contract that March, and he trained with the first team on a permanent basis under interim manager Ralf Rangnick the following season, when he earned more senior playing time, including one notably feisty cameo in United's 4-0 defeat at Liverpool when he risked a red card with several meaty tackles.
In 2022/23, Hannibal was a regular during a season-long loan at Championship club Birmingham City, appearing in all but two of their matches in all competitions.
"I want to get experience and learn more about English football," he told the Blues when he joined them. "Being in the first team is different.
"When the team loses, you feel it. When you win, we feel it. I have learned how to act, how to train. There are some big names in the team, so you learn a lot."
He had already gained invaluable experience in dealing with opposition supporters by then. Taunted by 1,400 Leeds United fans at Old Trafford during an FA Youth Cup tie, he was dubbed a "s*** Sideshow Bob" by some onlookers who felt his hair resembled the infamous villain from TV show The Simpsons.
The attacking midfielder brushed it off with a polished performance, however, and followed it up with a side portion of attitude. "Sideshow Bob?", Mejbri replied on Instagram after the game. "I admit that there is a small resemblance."
Hannibal Mejbri style of play
Hannibal can play as a No.10 or No.8 and clearly has an eye for goal in either position, winning Birmingham's Goal of the Season award for a long-range free-kick against West Bromwich Albion and hitting that spectacular consolation against Brighton for United.
"Coaches have also played me on the left-wing," said Mejbri, explaining that he had "done a job for the team" in that role. "Everywhere where I can play, it is better just to play football."
World Cup winners Zinedine Zidane and Andres Iniesta were inspirations for the young Hannibal, whose attitude was praised by then-United Under-23s coach Neil Wood during his time as a youth player, with the club adding that he had shown "talent and character in the face of some pretty stern challenges".
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What has Erik ten Hag said about Hannibal Mejbri?
After earning two straight starts in the Manchester United lineup amidst a revival of the team's fortunes in late September, Erik ten Hag praised Hannibal Mejbri's role in helping reverse the club's run of poor performances.
Speaking prior to the match against Crystal Palace on September 30, Ten Hag said Mejbri has already blossomed into a leadership role within the club.
"I think he gives a very good message to the rest of the squad," Ten Hag stated, likely praising Hannibal's leadership by performance. "That this is the demand, this has to be the standard when you are playing in a position, what you have to bring to the team, to get success.
"Especially when you're playing against possession-based teams, he is a really good fit to give a good contribution to a good performance and to the result."
The Man United youngster also earned high praise from a former coach of his at Birmingham City, where he spent a season on loan.
"He was excellent, on and off the pitch," Birmingham joint assistant head coach Matt Gardiner told the Manchester Evening News. "He was really professional, especially considering he was 19 and 20 years old, but it's what you expect with a youngster coming from Manchester United.
"We had a lot of young players in the team last season. We actually gave the most minutes to Under-20 players in the Championship, along with being ranked seventh in Europe on that metric, and Hannibal was part of that. We had a blend of experienced professionals and players with energy that fitted into that group. Hannibal's very passionate and he's got a really good sense of humour, which I think helped him integrate into the group quickly."
Mejbri only made one Premier League start for United between the start of the 2023/24 season and their draw at Tottenham on January 14, when he was not named in their squad.
He joined Sevilla on loan until the end of the season two days later. The Spanish La Liga club reportedly have an option to buy Mejbri, who is under contract at United until 2025, for £17.2m ($21.8m). The fee would put him among the 10 most expensive arrivals in the club's history.
United are also said to have inserted a buy-back clause into the deal if his loan club decide to make the move permanent.
Hannibal Mejbri FIFA 23 stats
Hannibal has an overall rating of 68 on FIFA 23 and a potential rating of 80. He has three stars for Skill Moves and Weak Foot, with traits as a swerve passer and for possessing a giant throw-in.
His Attacking Work Rate and Defensive Work Rate are both high, with no specialities and a position of central attacking midfield.
- Attack: Crossing 68, Finishing 55, Heading 53, Short passing 70, Volleys 54
- Skill: Dribbling 69, Curve 73, Free-kick accuracy 67, Long passing 69, Ball control 68
- Power: Shot power 68, Jumping 67, Stamina 69, Strength 66, Long shots 62
- Movement: Acceleration 72, Sprint speed 74, Agility 72, Reactions 66, Balance 74
- Mental: Aggression 85, Interceptions 62, Attacking position 66, Vision 70, Penalties 56, Composure 71
- Defence: Defensive awareness 63, Standing tackles 64, Sliding tackles 63
Hannibal Mejbri Manchester United salary
United pay Hannibal a basic salary of £5,000 ($6,130) per week or £260,000 ($319,000) a year, according to Capology. His deal includes an option for the club to extend his stay by a year when it expires in June 2024
90min.com has reported that Ten Hag wants the club to agree new terms with Hannibal because he is a "big fan" of the youngster.
Hannibal Mejbri Man United stats
Hannibal's appearance against Burnley was his second start for the club, his full debut coming against Crystal Palace on the final day of the 2021/22 season.
He has also won 27 international caps, setting up a goal in a 5-1 friendly win over Mauritania in 2021.
Mejbri was not named in Tunisia's squad for Afcon 2023, which took place in Ivory Coast during January and February 2024, because he wanted to resolve his future at club level.
Premier League side Everton were among the clubs said to have rivalled Sevilla to sign him.
| Season | Team | Games | Goals | Assists |
| 2023/24* | Man United | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022/23 | Birmingham | 41 | 1 | 6 |
| 2021/22 | Man United | 2 | 0 | 0 |
* Before joining Sevilla