Manchester United have another player like Bruno Fernandes coming through their youth ranks in Hannibal Mejbri, reckons former Red Devils man Ben Thornley.
The 17 year old joined United from Monaco last summer when the Premier League outfit forked out around £9m for his services, beating a number of top European clubs to his signature in the process.
The French teenager is yet to make his first team debut, but he is impressing in the academy set-up and Thornley expects a bright future for him, likening him to the man of the moment, Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder arrived at Old Trafford in January and has been an enormous hit, scoring six goals in his first nine Premier League games from midfield, so a comparison to the 25 year old is a real compliment.
‘Hannibal Mejbri is a very talented player,’ Thornley wrote for Tribal Football. ‘Obviously United paid money to bring him in from France and I’ve watched him numerous times.
‘We are still waiting to hear if United’s FA Youth Cup semi-final against Chelsea will go ahead. And Hannibal Mejbri will play a big part if United are going to go on and win that tournament.
‘He is a little bit like Fernandes in that he does get himself into places where defenders are reluctant to come out and mark him.
‘He takes a kick and he draws fouls as well and he can go either way. He is a very, very talented player.’
Thornley, who played for United from 1993-98, has issued a note of caution on the youngster, though, suggesting his attitude needs some work if he is to compete in the first team.
‘I do think that sometimes his temperament needs to be curtailed a little bit,’ Thornley continued.
‘We like a fiery character, no doubt about that, but it’s just knowing where to draw the line before you start getting told off by the referee and cards start coming out, and before it affects you on the pitch.
‘If you’re thinking too hard about remonstrating with the referee it’s going to take away from what you’re supposed to be doing on the pitch.
‘So he just needs to get that balance right. We love a fiery character, we’ve had plenty at our club. Mejbri is definitely one, but he is also very, very talented.’
Mejbri’s route into the first team is somewhat blocked at the moment due to the fine form the side have been showing, extending their unbeaten run to 16 matches with a 5-2 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
Fernandes scored again in that victory, with United now two points off fourth place in the Premier League and only three points behind Leicester in third.
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