Man Utd: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer names his six-a-side team
Manchester United currently have a midfield full of variety as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer targets a place in the Premier League top four. There’s Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Scott McTominay, Fred and James Garner all competing for a starting berth at Old Trafford. But, in the academy, there’s Hannibal Mejbri - a player who the Red Devils believe can reach the very top.
Hannibal has been compared to Kylian Mbappe for the sheer talent he possesses, while he’s also been likened to Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi for his frizzy hair and midfield prowess.
But it was head of first team development Nicky Butt who compared him to the likes of Bryan Robson and David Beckham back in February.
"Leaders are always looked at like a Roy Keane, a Steve Bruce, a Bryan Robson, those kind of verbal, real aggression, real leaders,” he said at the time.
“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.
“Hannibal (Mejbri)'s a leader. The way he plays his football is 100mph, he's non-stop running up and down.”
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They signed him for £9million in last summer’s transfer window with the deal going under the radar, particularly given the arrivals of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Daniel James and Harry Maguire at Old Trafford.
In the time since United coaches have been careful not to talk too much about the 17-year-old amid fears of putting unrealistic expectations on his head.
But Mejbri could be set to grace the Old Trafford turf sooner, rather than later.
He’s certainly doing everything right in training with one source previously saying he’s so good he ‘takes the p***’ out of team-mates.
There’s an air of excitement surrounding Mejbri and there’s even no a possibility that he’ll play for the club this season.
And there’s talk that he’ll be involved in the first-team next season, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer impressed by his development.
The Norwegian has given youth a chance throughout his time at Old Trafford. Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams, in particular, have benefitted from his approach.
And Mejbri could be the latest young talent to get a role in the first-team setup.
If he does, then United will hope he can live up to the Beckham and Robson comparisons made by Butt.
Because even if he achieves half of what the pair did, he’d be set for a successful career.