Hannibal Mejbri linked to Birmingham City loan move; John Eustace pleased to be linked to the player

It would be good to see him get first team football in a competitive league this coming season

Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri has been linked to Birmingham City for a potential loan spell at the Championship club during the 2022/23 season. Birmingham manager John Eustace has described the midfielder as ‘very good’ and welcomed the opportunity to have another United player on loan with the club.

Tahith Chong was loaned to Birmingham last season and the club seems to be pleased that they could get the opportunity to get another talented player at the club, helping them in the Championship which will also help the player get to speed with first team football. The Sun reported the manager as saying:

“I am sure we are being linked with a lot of players, I know Hannibal is a very good player, Man United have got some fantastic young players in their squad. We had a fantastic one [Tahith Chong] come to the club last year and did very well. Listen, if good players are linked to Birmingham City that’s good for us.”

Hannibal is a top prospect at United and considering the fact that United have Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen and even Donny van de Beek competing for a position in the central attacking midfield position, it would seem likely that he will not get much first team football at the Old Trafford club this coming season.

Even in the central midfield positions, he will be up against Scott McTominay, Fred, Eriksen, van de Beek, James Garner and possible Charlie Savage or Zidane Iqbal, who have all got more minutes ahead of him in the pre-season tour this summer. Sending the Tunisian international on loan would be the best option for him and United.

The likes of Millwall, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough are all said to be interested in taking the player on loan this coming season, which will give some competition for Birmingham, who seem to be very interested in signing the player. They do have a good link with United though after Chong’s loan last season.

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder broke into the first team at the end go last season, coming on as a real hothead against Liverpool, showing a spark that all the other players lacked in that defeat. Some supporters even labelled him as the ‘next Robbie Savage’ who also played for Birmingham during a point in his career.

Eustace wants to strengthen his Birmingham squad this summer and Hannibal would do that. As long as he goes to a club where he will be guaranteed a number of matches, as having a young player on loan who sits on the bench or in the stands week in and week out will not solve anything at the end of the day. Players are loaned to help them progress.

United have seen many players loaned out over the years with the majority not actually making it because of poor spells on loan, which was not always down to the player themselves. James Garner’s loan spell to Nottingham Forest last season was probably one of the most successful loan spells for a United player in the last few years. Hannibal could do with a spell similar to that.

Written by John Walker

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I support Manchester United, the greatest English football team to have ever existed. Bruno Fernandes is the latest in a long line of players with great ability to play for the club. I idolised Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Eric Cantona growing up.