Hannibal Mejbri and Anthony Elanga: Man Utd agree long-term deals with academy prospects | Football News

Manchester United have agreed a “long-term contract” with academy midfielder Hannibal Mejbri.

Mejbri, 18, was signed by United from French club Monaco as a 16-year-old during the summer transfer window in 2019 in a deal reportedly value as much as £8.5m.

United revealed on Tuesday that they had additionally tied down Anthony Elanga to a brand new long-term contract.

The 18-year-old has been at Outdated Trafford for six years and received the Jimmy Murphy Youth Workforce Participant of the 12 months award final season.

The Sweden youth worldwide, whose father Joseph performed on the 1998 World Cup finals for Cameroon, has performed for Neil Wooden’s U23 aspect this season, taking part in 16 occasions, scoring eight objectives with three assists.

United have been fast to safe the futures of their brightest academy prospects, with Shola Shoretire signing his first professional contract last month.

Shoretire, 17, has made two substitute appearances for United’s first group and Hannibal may rapidly observe in his footsteps earlier than the top of the season as supervisor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to reward his promising children.

The France youth worldwide was into consideration to characteristic in final month’s Europa League round-of-32 second-leg in opposition to Actual Sociedad, till a shoulder harm dominated him out.

“Hannibal is injured,” Solskjaer mentioned forward of the Europa League tie. “Sadly, he bought injured within the reserves so he’ll be out for a month.

“So he was simply coming into our squad and, sadly for him, he’s out.”

Solskjaer confirmed in February that Hannibal, together with Shoretire, had been promoted to the first-team.

“The younger children, we have moved Shola up with us, Hannibal will be a part of us and we’ll maintain them with us for some time,” mentioned Solskjaer. “It is the subsequent step of their improvement, we have to take the hit that after they play for the reserves they should journey by themselves. It is a good step for them, they’ve accomplished very well.”

Hannibal has performed above his age group since arriving at Carrington and has registered 4 objectives and 7 assists taking part in for Neil Wooden’s U23s this season.