Support truly
independent journalism
Manchester United have sold midfielder Hannibal Mejbri to Burnley for an initial £5.4m.
That fee could rise to £9.4m including add-ons while United have a high sell-on clause, initially set at 50 percent, and a buyback clause if they want to bring the Tunisia international back to Old Trafford.
Mejbri’s departure will help fund United’s signing of Manuel Ugarte after they agreed a £42.3m fee with Paris Saint-Germain, which could rise to £50.7m.
United have also agreed to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli for £25m as they are allowing two other midfielders to go while landing their top target in the department this summer. When Ugarte arrives and McTominay goes, United will have spent around £200m this summer but brought in almost £100m.
Mejbri also continues United’s trend of cashing in on young fringe players this summer, with winger Facundo Pellistri joining Panathinaikos, centre-back Willy Kambwala going to Villarreal and left-back Alvaro Fernandez moving to Benfica.
United bought Mejbri from Monaco in 2019 and he went on to make 13 appearances, scoring one goal. But he only started two Premier League matches and he spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla, who did not take up their option to buy him.
Burnley have bought Mejbri to bolster their midfield after losing Sander Berge to Fulham. Since relegation from the Premier League, they have also sold Wilson Odobert to Tottenham, Dara O’Shea to Wolves, Arijanet Muric to Ipswich, Anass Zaroury to Lens, Ameen Al-Dakhil to Stuttgart and Scott Twine to Bristol City.