Arsenal and Liverpool miss out on 14-year-old wonderkid Hannibal Mejbri who joins AS Monaco for £920K
The youngster came close to signing for the Gunners after spending several weeks on trial there
14-YEAR-OLD Hannibal Mejbri has snubbed a move to the Premier League to join AS Monaco for a £920,000 fee.
The youngster had emerged as a target for Arsenal and Liverpool after impressing at the INF Clairefontaine academy.
The contract with the French outfit will come into effect from the 1st of July 2018, when he finishes his final year with the academy.
He came close to signing for Arsenal after spending several week there on trial, but the 14-year-old opted to accept Monaco's offer.
When speaking to Le Parisien, the players father revealed that Liverpool also made a huge offer for his son.
Lotfi Mejbri said: “It has never been a question of money. If we were in for that, we could have got a lot more than what is being claimed in the press.
"I will give an anecdote: after signing for Monaco whilst on holiday in Tunisia, a lawyer with a mandate from Liverpool called me with an enormous offer.
"But I only had one word for him.”
The 14-year-old, who has been likened to David Luiz because of his frizzy hairstyle, has already secured himself a sponsorship deal with Adidas.
Last year Mejbri's father insisted that his priority is to study, as he believes a career as a lawyer or a doctor is a lot more plausible.
He said: "Even if he does [make it as a pro footballer], I do not want him to have a chickpea for a brain in his head."
