Sevilla were able to beat Everton to sign Manchester United’s Hannibal Mejbri in the winter market.
Wednesday’s ABC Sevilla provides an insight into how the La Liga side overcame Everton, when discussing the 21-year-old’s current situation.
It’s explained that the project offered by Sevilla sporting director Víctor Orta seduced him more than the one proposed by Everton.
This convinced the Manchester United owned player to join the Spanish club on loan with an option to buy. The midfielder’s decision to snub Sean Dyche’s side in favour of Sevilla hasn’t worked out well for him.
He’s been restricted to only four appearances for Sevilla and hasn’t featured since their 3-2 win over Real Sociedad on March 2nd.
The Tunisia international has been available but Sevilla manager Quique Sánchez Flores has continued to overlook him. ABC Sevilla state this could be because the coach feels he hasn’t found his feet or the player doesn’t fit into his system.
Taking Sevilla’s financial situation and the lack of trust shown by Quique Sánchez Flores into account, the newspaper states it’s ‘almost unfeasible’ for them to exercise the €17m purchase option to buy Hannibal.
In all honesty, even if he’d done brilliantly they wouldn’t have paid that clause, it’s just the Sevilla way.
Tottenham’s Alejo Véliz, who also moved to Sevilla on loan, is having a similarly torrid time, and it feels like there’s a power struggle between the club’s manager and sporting director Victor Orta.
Sevilla being in chaos on and off the pitch was known at the time of Hannibal’s loan, and Manchester United and the player’s camp would surely have been better picking Everton.
