Hannibal won’t be rushed says Wood

UNITED Under-23s manager Neil Wood has warned fans it might take a while before they see youngster Hannibal Mejbri in the first-team frame.

The 17-year-old impressed during his debut season, helping United to promotion in the Premier League 2 only a year after joining the club from Monaco for a fee that could rise to ¤10m.

The creative midfielder only made his debut for United Under-18s last September before gradually moving up the youth ranks to finish the season playing under Wood in the Under-23s.

After an encouraging first season many supporters are eager to see Mejbri develop at Old Trafford, but his youth manager has warned expectations need to be carefully managed.

“What you need to remember is

Hannibal is still a young lad, he is only 17,” Wood told M.E.N. Sport.

“He’s not long been here really, he is probably coming up to almost a first completed season if that.

“I think people get sucked into the price-tag, and again that is not Hannibal’s fault. He is a young player with potential, he is one of the young players we have got with potential, but there is still a lot of development and learning which needs to be put into him.

“We still need to get him to a higher level to get him to even go and train with the first-team.

“I think the challenge is going to be enough for him at Under-23s and we are going to push him and try to move him up as quick as we can, but at the same time we won’t rush him if he’s not ready to do that.”