Leicester City are one of three clubs interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri this summer, according to Tunisian outlet Noussour TN.
The report states that Premier League new boys Luton Town are one of the other sides interested, while the third team is yet to be named.
Hannibal has just come off the back of a successful loan spell at Championship side Birmingham City, where he played 41 times in all competitions and generally impressed.
It was reported by The Athletic earlier this month, that another loan spell in the Championship wasn’t ruled out, while a permanent move away wasn’t either.
But in this latest update from Noussour TN, it states that Hannibal is keen to find a Premier League club as he aims to be part of the African Cup of Nations in 2024.
So, this could be a potential blow to Leicester City in their pursuit of the Man United man.
Would Hannibal Mejbri be a good signing for Leicester City?
However, Leicester remain in the race for Hannibal, and with that, writers at Football League World have shared their thoughts on their interest and have also stated whether he would be a good signing for the Championship club.
Leicester City are in need of bolstering their midfield this summer, despite Harry Winks’ arrival, and doing so with the addition of Hannibal would be an excellent move by the club.
Hannibal excelled last season in the Championship, and that was for a side that was in the bottom half of the table.
He remains at a crossroads in his Man United career, as he doesn’t look like he will break into the first team but is still highly regarded by the club. So, while a permanent move has been mentioned, it is likely Man United are going to allow the midfielder to go out on loan again, and Leicester could be a very good destination.
The Foxes haven’t found a suitable replacement for James Maddison yet, and while Hannibal may not fit that category, he would be more than a useful addition to do so. He showed tremendous versatility in Birmingham’s midfield last season, and maybe in a better side, he could become even better in the Championship.
The player has a bright future, and if the Foxes can get him on board for this season, they have done very well as he will improve their promotion chances that bit more.
This feels like it could be a very good fit.
Hannibal needs a move this summer with first-team opportunities not exactly forthcoming with Man United and, whilst he will have some Premier League suitors, it’s not a level he’s guaranteed starts, and there are certainly perks to joining a promotion-chasing EFL side over a top-flight team fighting for their lives.
After impressing in the midfield for Birmingham in a largely difficult season for the Blues, a move to Leicester, who we expect to be in automatic promotion contention, is progression. Your gut-feeling is that the 20-year-old will also find the going a little bit easier in a better, more competitive, side.
Leicester offer him a medium-term route into the Premier League, too. If an initial loan is successful in the Championship and Enzo Maresca’s side achieve their targets, another loan or even a permanent move could be on the cards, should Hannibal impress.
The King Power Stadium could be a great destination for the player and, of course, Leicester will benefit from an extremely talented player who’s looking to further himself after dipping his toes with Birmingham last season. His versatility is a real trait and Leicester are going to need reinforcements between now and the end of the window.
From Man United’s point of view, too, they aren’t going to turn their nose up at their player embarking on, what could be, a loan move that increases his value in the market quite dramatically.
Convincing the player himself to drop back into the Championship might be the biggest ask, but it’s not an impossible task, particularly with Leicester’s ambition.