Eyebrows were raised when Manchester United splashed out £9m to snare Mejbri away from Ligue 1 giants Monaco last year.
The teenage midfielder started in Manchester United’s Under-18s, but took little time to get into the Under-23 squad and scored against League Two outfit Salford City in a recent EFL Trophy clash.
Big things are expected from Mejbri and he has also been backed to make his first-team debut for Manchester United in the new season.
However, Wood is keen to temper the expectations around the Frenchman and revealed his irritation about the hype surrounding him as the Under-23s boss insisted that he is still only a 17-year-old.
He is aware of the talk of Mejbri being ready to be in the first team, but Wood stressed that the youngster is still a few steps away from being in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.
The Manchester United Under-23s boss told The Athletic: “There’s been a lot of hype about Hannibal because of his price, but that’s not his fault.
“Last season was his first in England and it’s not easy for a young lad to come to Manchester and settle in.
“You read that he’s going to be in the first team, that he’s going to be the next this or that.
“People just need to step back a little bit and realise he’s a 17-year-old who has got good potential.
“We don’t need to talk about him being in the first team now. That’s where he needs to get to but he has a lot of development and learning to do.
“My challenge for this season is to continue his development and learning.”
Mejbri is also a French youth international and he has represented France at Under-16 and Under-17 level.
