Involved on Wednesday for the cup game or too soon?
Hannibal Mejbri - Manchester United Player
- Thread starter IrishRedDevil
- Start date
I'd say, too soon..
Waaay too soon.
When i heard that he was risking a red card the other day because he was getting stuck in, it was good to hear. He looks like he's the real deal. I watched his highlights and he looks like he's got a bit of everything to his game, the desire and aggression he shows though is what makes me think he's got that something extra to take him far.
I might have to start watching our youth teams again to see how he gets on. He's already showing why we pursued him so much and paid decent money to make it happen.
I might have to start watching our youth teams again to see how he gets on. He's already showing why we pursued him so much and paid decent money to make it happen.
United are gonna have the most badass team names in 5 years time 
I'd rather play this lad instead of Matic at the moment.
Can anyone clarify the pronunciation? MUTV keep saying Mejbri that is saying the j. It's annoying me. Surely it's more like Mey-bri?
It seems like a north african name and so j would be pronounced.
Fair enough. Hopefully someone's asked him. ☺
Yeah, his strength on the ball and overall tenaciousness in the game vs. Everton came as a nice surprise. I was erroneously envisioning him as a languid technical player who might need to develop other facets of his game as he goes long (at least that's the impression he gave in short Youtube compilations from his Monaco stint), but the lad looks really determined and complete for his age, wiry physique notwithstanding.
We've seen young midfielders like Ihattaren, Camavinga, Guendouzi get a chance at PSV, Rennes and Lorient at age 16 — and while United plays in a much more competitive league, maybe this kid can be fast-tracked, too — if not this year then perhaps next. Perfect time for him to be at the club as well, we need a quality and quantity in midfield, and he just might be able to get a cup game here or there.
Hope we're still interested in Cherki, too — he's supposed to be the biggest French talent from Mejbri's age-group and the most exciting prospect at Lyon since Ben Arfa and Benzema in the mid 2000s. In the contemporary market it's better to snap up talents at 15-16 because their value goes through the roof with just one good season at first team level.
It would be great if he can get to that point soon. If he continues these displays then he will at least make the bench at some point this season if the right fixture comes along. Whilst the club will obviously look after him, i think the price tag will fast track his promotion through the ranks if his performances allow it.
Never seen Cherki but was disappointed to hear that he signed on with Lyon on professional terms, just as we were heavily linked. Heard good things on here about him. I'm sue we'll keep an eye out but i think we'd now have to pay big money once he's broken through in their first team, if he is the real deal.
Heard Evra and Pogba went to the u18 againt everton . Maybe it was to have a look at this guy?
The United commentary team have the correct pronunciation. Hannibal is of Tunisian descent and that's how the J is pronounced.
Feck it....bring him to the first team.....
If they’re good enough they’re old enough... .not like this is boxing
If they’re good enough they’re old enough... .not like this is boxing
I'm not looking for attention and I was debating even posting this. I don't mean to hype him. I have only seen this little bit of him. But I just feel like he is a natural. I feel he'll make his first team debut this season, maybe in the league cup. That's just my crazy prediction.
It's not even that crazy!
We've seen over the years that if you're a young player here, smashing it at every level, then you will progress and usually will be given a taste of first team football as a reward. If we play some lower league teams in a couple of months, and he's still impressing at each level, then he'll get a run out with the first team.
It’s not that outlandish, no, as Gomes was 16 when he got his first minutes. Fletcher was about to get his as well, at that age. I don’t know if Mejbri is a big a talent as Gomes was.
We've payed 5m rising to 10m for a 16 year old. The club sure is thinking he is.
Gomes was at the club so it was impossible for him to be bought for that kind of amount.
We need this kid to step up now.
Paying 10m for a 16 year old without any first team experience who hasn't played for a while is an extraordinary high sum.
Will he be the key to unlocking defenses for the senior team???
Prices are inflated these days so it's not that big of a shock. Why wouldn't Gomes go for that much when he tore up the u18s at 16 (Mejbri turns 17 in January)? He was at United for a long time at that point so your original point that price indicates that makes no sense.
If Lyon bought Mejbri for the same price, would he now be more highly thought of than Cherki?
Mejbri has been hyped since he was 9 years old.
Just like Gomes
Link?
If some 16 year old kid can play in French league and even won player of the month there, why can’t we do the same and play Hannibal.
Ok I am just kidding, but why not, it’s better than watching Matic and Fred.
Ok I am just kidding, but why not, it’s better than watching Matic and Fred.
You're not kidding, you're serious..
This is I am pretty certain that Woodward will ride out the storm with Ole. We are clearly building for the future -- loading up with younger kids in the short term and building with the academy in the medium. This strategy wasnt obvious in the previous regime.
This lad was as highly rated as it gets for a young prodigy. France currently have such a huge talent pool that being considered a generational talent in that Particular country is a very big compliment for a young midfield player. He may or may not live upto expectations. But his reputation from a very young age has been lavished with very high praise. We only managed to sign him due to the issues between Monaco and the players family or otherwise Monaco wouldn't have sold him for the amount we paid. Below is a excerpt from well respected French Journo Julien Laurens who has many contacts in French football including Coaches and Scouts and relayed the following..
Mejbri has been identified as the biggest talent of his generation since he was young and has gone through the INF Clairefontaine pre-academy like Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry before him.
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/man...rces-united-win-race-to-french-prodigy-mejbri
Mejbri has been identified as the biggest talent of his generation since he was young and has gone through the INF Clairefontaine pre-academy like Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry before him.
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/man...rces-united-win-race-to-french-prodigy-mejbri
Its transliterated Arabic so its pronounced with a hard j.
Reminds me of a young Bryan Robson.
Link to what? A wonder kid is always going to stand out at that age. His father was uploading footage of Gomes at a very early age. This is also why JB remarked how highly rated Gomes was at age 12-13.
Yes, but you could also say the same of Rayan Cherki.
Anyways, this whole convo is derailing what should be about his performances.
Rayan Cherki is also a prodigious talent no doubt.
I also don't think this thread is limiting us to just talk about his performances.
He seems a very well rounded player. Doesn't have many obvious weaknesses which is a great thing for a 16 year old.
I like that he's aggressive, I suspected he might be a bit "light weight" and more of a fancy dan, but it's the opposite. He seems a proper central midfielder similar to Guendouzi in style.
I like that he's aggressive, I suspected he might be a bit "light weight" and more of a fancy dan, but it's the opposite. He seems a proper central midfielder similar to Guendouzi in style.
Such a weird player to draw a comparison to; I mean usually you compare a young prodigy with an established top player. Unless you're talking about hairstyles of course.
We have quite a few youngsters with great potential in the academy now. If we spent some money bringing in a few players for the first team, we would have all these youngsters ready in a few years time.
Not really? Guendouzi fits exactly what I described.
Just for you I could say Arturo Vidal, but the kids 16 so lets be hasty.