Manchester United’s Hannibal Mejbri is wanted by Besiktas on a loan deal after the Turkish giants saw an attempt for a permanent deal for the midfielder rejected

Turkish giants Besiktas are eyeing a late loan deal for Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri having seen a move to sign the Tunisia international knocked back.

The two clubs have been in negotiations recently after the Istanbul-based side completed the signing of central defender Eric Bailly on a permanent basis. They are now looking to strengthen their ranks further by eyeing a move for midfielder Hannibal with the Turkish transfer window still open.

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Hannibal spent the season in the Championship at Birmingham City, where he netted once across 41 appearances – of which 23 were from the start. Now aged 20, he is in high demand but has remained at United, who have resisted offers to sign the player permanently.

Borussia Dortmund had been eyeing a deal for the midfielder in the summer and Besiktas offered a loan deal with an option to buy the player knocked back by the Red Devils. A report in Turkish outlet Fanatik, as cited by Sport Witness, outlines they will now come back with a loan approach without that option to buy.

Hannibal has not featured in any of United’s four Premier League games to date this campaign despite absentees, while Sofyan Amrabat has now been added to Erik ten Hag’s squad. He was an unused substitute for the loss at Arsenal.

Besiktas boss Senol Gunes is demanding an attack-minded midfielder and believes Hannibal would fit the bill, with the option of a loan deal being amenable to United – who would ease their wage bill without weakening their starting line-up. The decision is now up to Ten Hag.

Hannibal featured for United in pre-season but is yet play this campaign ( Image: Ricardo Larreina/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Hannibal and Alex Telles were involved in a training ground bust-up in May last year, just before United boss Ten Hag assumed the Old Trafford hot seat. The in-house fall-out came in the aftermath of United’s humiliating 4-0 defeat away at Brighton at the tail-end of last term when morale was at its lowest under then interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

Hannibal has been capped 26 times for the Tunisian senior side at international level. He joined United from Monaco in 2019 having been tracked by the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He made three senior appearances for United, including from the start of the final match of the 2021/22 campaign – a defeat at Crystal Palace.