Sevilla leading the transfer race to sign Hannibal Mejbri on loan from Manchester United

Sevilla are leading the race to sign Hannibal Mejbri on loan from Manchester United in the January transfer window.

The 20-year-old has been the subject of loan interest from a number of clubs this month but it is the La Liga side that looks best placed to seal his signature on a temporary deal.

Hannibal is eager to get regular playing time in the second half of the campaign, having only played a sporadic role in the United first team so far this season. He emerged late on from the bench against Wigan on Monday night but last lined up from the start against Galatasaray in early October.

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The Manchester Evening News understands Hannibal favours a move to Sevilla over a switch to Goodison Park and that talks are ongoing with the Spanish club. United will demand a loan fee for any club that takes the Tunisia international until the end of the season and any deal is not expected to include the option to make it permanent in the summer.

Last week, Erik ten Hag confirmed the club had extended the contracts of Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Hannibal. The trio were approaching the final six months of their deals but United triggered the one-year option in each contract to tie all of them to the club until 2025.

United are still interested in discussing the possibility of a new long-term contract with Hannibal but the player is believed to want assurances about his future role before doing so. Hannibal has made 13 competitive appearances for the United first team and netted his first goal for the club in defeat to Brighton earlier in the season.