Manchester United's Hannibal Mejbri 'set to join Sevilla on loan'

Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri is reportedly heading for Sevilla on loan, with the La Liga outfit believed to have beaten a number of clubs to his signature.

Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag said last week that the club had taken up an option to extend Hannibal's contract at Old Trafford for a further 12 months, with his deal now running until June 2025.

The 20-year-old has been regularly involved with the first team this season, featuring on nine occasions in all competitions, including five appearances in the Premier League.

Hannibal has benefitted from injuries to the likes of Casemiro and Mason Mount, and he has featured in two of his side's last four league outings.

Casemiro and Mount are both due to return to action this month, though, and Man United are believed to have decided to let Hannibal leave on loan to continue his development.

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According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Sevilla have won the race for his signature, with Hannibal turning down the likes of Freiburg and Lyon in order to agree a deal with the La Liga club.

Romano claims that Sevilla have been in talks over a move since August, and the two clubs are currently discussing the finer details when it comes to the arrangement.

There could allegedly be a purchase option included in the loan, while Man United could have a buyback clause, as Ten Hag is said to be an admirer of the Tunisia international.

Hannibal made the move to the Red Devils from Monaco in 2019, initially turning out for the English outfit at youth level before debuting for the first team in 2021.

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The midfielder spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan with Birmingham City in the second tier of English football, featuring on 41 occasions, with 38 of those appearances coming in the Championship.

Hannibal is now heading for another loan exit, which could potentially become a permanent deal.

Sevilla have struggled again this season, with a total of 16 points from 19 matches leaving them down in 16th position in the La Liga table, only one point above the relegation zone.

There will also be no European football on offer at Estadio Ramon in the second half of the campaign, with Los Nervionenses, who recently appointed Quique Sanchez Flores as their new head coach, finishing bottom of their Champions League section.