Hannibal Mejbri’s Emergence Is Silver Lining Of Man Utd’s Poor Start

Injuries have been a big factor in Manchester United’s underwhelming start to the 2023/24 season. Indeed, Erik ten Hag’s squad has been pushed to its limits with Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Hojlund, Anthony Martial and Kobbie Mainoo all sidelined at various points.

This has forced ten Hag to look for alternative solutions and Hannibal Mejbri has been one of them. The 20-year-old has started Manchester United’s last two matches and also scored his first goal for the club as a substitute in the defeat to Brighton. Mejbri’s emergence is the one silver lining of United’s current situation.

Mejbri has long been spoken about as a future star. Manchester United paid a reported €5m to sign him from Monaco as a teenager, highlighting how his potential was clear from an early age. Four years later, and after a loan spell at Birmingham City last season, Mejbri is now making an impression on the first team at Old Trafford.

While Mejbri is extremely capable on the ball, its his out-of-possession capabilities that make him so valuable to ten Hag. The Dutchman needs energy and intensity in the centre of the pitch for his approach to work and Mejbri has brought that while others – namely Christian Eriksen and Mount – have struggled in this regard.

At international level, Mejbri is already an established figure for Tunisia and was picked for the 2022 World Cup squad. He is now translating some of the form that caught the eye of Tunisia into club form. Ten Hag is now aware of Mejbri’s versatility and what he brings to the table in the central midfield unit.

“He can play in a lot of positions: he can be a playmaker, he can be a regista (deep-lying playmaker), he can be a defensive midfielder, he can be a winger… but for me, his best position is central midfield,” Tunisia sporting director Mohamed Slim Ben Othman said.

“He likes to be the player who can organise and coordinate his team. He has big physical abilities and is very selfless despite his large technical qualities. I see him as a central midfielder – similar to Luka Modric.”

The Modric comparison is a bold one, but Mejbri certainly has a bright future ahead of him. At just 20 years old, he is now a starting figure for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Ten Hag’s midfield unit operates better and more coherently with Mejbri included. Manchester United’s injury crisis might have been worth it to force the emergence of the Tunisian.