Axel Tuanzebe is ready to commit his long-term future at Aston Villa and leave Manchester United permanently.
According to The Sun, Axel Tuanzebe has his heart set on a permanent move to Aston Villa after receiving his desired game-time under Dean Smith. The defender moved to Villa Park in the summer on a season-long loan move, but it appears his desire is to remain at the club for the long term and put an end to his career at Manchester United.
Tuanzebe’s loan move to Aston Villa was initially sanctioned in the aftermath of Raphael Varane’s addition to Manchester United. The Frenchman’s arrival saw the young defender fall behind in the pecking order, with little to no chance of establishing himself as a first-team regular. It led to a return to Villa Park, albeit on a loan deal.
A product of the United youth academy, Tuanzebe had previously spent one and a half years at Aston Villa on loan. His contributions in the defensive third were, in fact, vital in helping the Villans gain promotion during the 2018/19 campaign, though unfortunately, Dean Smith’s side was unable to secure his signing permanently in 2019.
The move or lack thereof didn’t bode well for the player either, as he has mustered a little under 600 minutes of league football over the past two seasons at Old Trafford. But upon his return to West Midlands, the 23-year-old has already started two games for Villa, notably being involved in the recent defeat to Chelsea.
Tuanzebe’s early opportunities under Dean Smith appear to have convinced the centre-back, as he looks to remain at Aston Villa and compete with the likes of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings for a place in the starting eleven.
However, it remains to be seen whether Manchester United will be willing to offload the exciting young defender permanently as they do recognise his talent and potential.
A lot will perhaps depend on how the Red Devils fare in the ongoing campaign. While the defensive trifecta of Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof look set, Solskjaer will be anxious to find a proper replacement for Eric Bailly, who was linked with a deadline day move to Olympique Lyon and is expected to leave the club in January due to the lack of game-time.
Tuanzebe’s contract at Manchester United expires in 2023 so the Premier League giants will have to make a decision sooner rather than later.