Aston Villa will sign Axel Tuanzebe on loan for the upcoming season, while Manchester United will extend the defender’s contract by another year.
According to The Athletic, Axel Tuanzebe will sign for Aston Villa on a season-long loan from Manchester United. The defender will have his contract extended at Old Trafford by another year as United want to protect his value while ensuring he regularly plays next season.
Injuries and the form of teammates have been the primary reason for Tuanzebe’s stunted development at Manchester United. The versatile defender previously spent eighteen months on loan at Aston Villa, during which he was solid enough to be considered again for United by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; however, things are now about to change.
Solskjaer wanted to give him more playing time last term, but Tuanzebe could only manage to feature in 19 games across all competitions. The impending arrival of Raphael Varane will push him further down the pecking order, and a loan might be the ultimate solution. United are hoping Tuanzebe gets regular playing time somewhere next term.
The Villans have embarked on an impressive transfer window so far. Since signing Emiliano Buendia and Ashley Young earlier, the Midlands club have also captured exciting attacker Leon Baily from Bayer Leverkusen.
Earlier today, Aston Villa also announced the signing of Danny Ings, which caught everyone by surprise. They will now add a fifth name in Tuanzebe, as Dean Smith eyes a versatile player like Tuanzebe to cover for centre-back and right-back. The Manchester United player can also fill in other defensive positions, as well as in midfield if needed.
Villa beat stiff competition from Newcastle United for the player and could announce his arrival soon. Smith was impressed by the youngster’s contributions during his previous loan stint and is keen to develop him further.
However, Tuanzebe will not be a sure starter at Villa. They already have a solid pairing of Erik Konsa and Tyron Mings at centre-back, while Matty Cash is the preferred starter at right-back. But, over the course of the season, Villa would benefit from having someone like Tuanzebe around, and the defender himself will play more games than he would at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, Manchester United haven’t closed all doors for Tuanzebe. They seem to appreciate his value and versatility. Hence the club have reportedly extended his contract by another year until 2023. So if they want to sell him next summer, they would still be able to make some money rather than see him leave on a free transfer.
