Sevilla’s head coach, Quique Sanchez Flores, has acknowledged that Manchester United loanee Hannibal Mejbri has secured a future with the Spanish club after making his inaugural start over the weekend.
Initially joining Sevilla on loan for the remainder of the season with a potential £17 million buy option this summer, the 21-year-old faced a challenging beginning as he was deemed unready to play following a 28-minute appearance in a 5-1 defeat to Girona. Subsequently, Mejbri saw limited action, totaling just nine minutes over the next seven games.
After the Girona loss, Sanchez Flores explained, “Hannibal, after speaking with him and seeing his first minutes in Girona, we have given him the necessary space for him to understand where he is, what Sevilla means, and where we want to see him defending the shirt.”
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Acknowledging the learning period provided, Sanchez Flores expressed optimism about Mejbri’s contribution for the rest of the season. Despite the challenges, Mejbri marked a turning point, securing his first start for Sevilla in a notable 3-2 victory against Real Sociedad.
Post-match, Sanchez Flores praised Mejbri’s progress, stating, “The boy is reaching another level of understanding and is now capable of playing at any time. This has been more of a mental adaptation than a footballing one, transitioning from the Premier League to La Liga, and adjusting to a team facing a challenging situation.” Sanchez Flores emphasized Mejbri’s need to ground himself and acknowledged that the coach is now tasked with incorporating him into the team.