Ten Hag's secret weapon grasping Man Utd chance despite dad's doctor wishes
Hannibal Mejbri has made just five Premier League appearances for Manchester United, but has somehow already played his way into the hearts of the Old Trafford faithful.
A fierce competitor who is not afraid to 'leave one in on' opposition players with vastly more experience, Hannibal's win at all costs mentality has meant he's been on the radar of United fans for quite some time. That same mentality has been on show for all to see in the opening exchanges of this season.
While his first league game of the campaign came in the form of a disappointing 3-1 defeat by Brighton, it also saw Hannibal net his first goal for the Red Devils at senior level. If some took objection to his arguably over-exuberant celebration, there was no denying the beauty of the finish.
The Tunisia international followed that up with a combative performance away at Burnley last Saturday night during the 1-0 win at Turf Moor. Hannibal was at the heart of plenty of positive things for United during Tuesday's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at home as well, as the 20-year-old fights tooth and nail to stay at the forefront of the mind of boss Erik ten Hag.
With that in mind, Mirror Football has analysed the turbulent rise of United's new midfield man as he establishes himself in the first-team fold.
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Family drama
Hannibal Mejbri in his Monaco daysPrior to his arrival at Old Trafford, Hannibal plied his trade for Ligue 1 outfit Monaco. However, a dramatic fall-out between the club and his family led to his departure and opened the door for United to swoop.
"Something bad happened," his father Lotfi Mejbri, a former Tunisian footballer, told . "For our family, it was very hard to live. It's a real shock, a trauma. There were mistakes made and, from there, I consider the relationship of trust between the club and our family destroyed."
Strong words from the man who never wanted Hannibal to go into this line of work in the first place. Mejbri snr has made no secret of the fact that he would have preferred his son try to become a doctor or lawyer. He once claimed: "Even if he does [make it as a pro footballer], I do not want him to have a chickpea for a brain in his head."
Legends seal of approval
Hannibal has been labelled as "immature" previously by United legend Nicky ButtNicky Butt knows exactly what it takes to play in the middle of the park for United and back in 2020, long before Hannibal had made his first-team debut, he was already the subject of huge praise from the former Red Devil.
"Leaders are always looked at like a Roy Keane, a Steve Bruce, a Bryan Robson, those kind of verbal, real aggression, real leaders," Butt told the Manchester Evening News. "And then you've got leaders like Paul Scholes or David Beckham or Ryan Giggs, who's quiet but really leads by example of how they play and how they work hard.
"We've got the old-fashioned leaders, if you like, who are going to talk to the players and drive the team," he continued. "Hannibal (Mejbri)'s a leader. The way he plays his football is 100mph, he's non-stop running up and down. He's a very, very talented boy but he's still very immature, he's still a baby. He's not got anything on him just yet, he needs to build up his size and build up his physicality."
A shift in mindset
Hannibal enjoyed an impressive loan spell with Birmingham last seasonAs Butt explained, back in 2020 Hannibal was guilty of being a tad immature. It seems that a loan spell with Birmingham City last season changed all that and led to the man himself reflecting on both his talent and his conduct.
Last February, Hannibal told Sky Sports: "Since I am in the Championship, I have seen that I need to work on my physical capabilities. It is making me a better player. Now I understand that every detail is important and you need to work harder.
""Even if you think you are the best at something, you will find someone who is better than you. That is why you have to work so hard." Those comments came just two months after Hannibal represented his nation at the World Cup, perhaps a coming of age moment for the midfielder.
Putting in the hard yards
Hannibal Mejbri has played his way into Erik ten Hag's plans this season (Getty Images)To thrive as a midfielder for Erik ten Hag, the ability to press correctly is essential. "To keep a game under control, to dominate an opponent, the pressing has to be right. We want to play proactive football, to play dynamic football. Pressing is a part of it," the United boss explained just last month.
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The Dutchman would have been delighted to see Hannibal cover a whopping 12.9 kilometres away at Burnley on Saturday. That figure means not only did the Tunisian run further than any United player this season, he ran further than any United player since they began collecting this data in 2019.
Statisitcs show that Hannibal has also made a staggering 100 pressures per 90 minutes, which is 20 more than any other player in the Premier League. His work rate will endear him to United fans, but it is Hannibal's talent that will keep him in the team in the long-run.
Sorry dad, but the doctor dream is on hold while Mejbri Jnr goes from stength to strength at Old Trafford.
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