Axel Tuanzebe was one of the most highly rated young defenders to come through Manchester United’s academy over the past decade.
And when he was good, he was really good. Just ask Kylian Mbappe, who famously was eclipsed by a tigerish performance from Axel Tuanzebe in Paris in 2020.
It was a performance United’s own media lauded a ‘flawless’, while former star Owen Hargreaves told TNT Sports: “Good luck getting this guy out of the team.”
“This guy… I love him. He’s a good athlete, he makes good decisions, physically he’s got a good presence, he wasn’t fazed by Mbappe or Neymar. I think he grew into the occasion.”
But as Hargreaves can personally testify, injuries can be brutal, and Tuanzebe struggled to make progress.
Tuanzebe injury blow
Axel Tuanzebe ended up being released by Manchester United in 2023, and it was not a surprise at that point, after injury problems had meant he ended up going out on loan to Stoke.
Yet Tuanzebe rebuilt, and joined Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town, where he has played nine Premier League games this season after helping them to win promotion.
And just a few days ago, Tuanzebe issued Manchester United with a powerful reminder of his ability, helping the Tractor Boys to a draw against the Red Devils in Ruben Amorim’s first game.
Tuanzebe played all 90 minutes, featuring in a right-back role, showing that he belongs at Premier League level.
And now disaster has struck. McKenna told the East Anglian Daily Press: “We’ve lost Axel, hamstring, long-term.
“He’s seeing specialists over the next 24 hours, hopefully it won’t need surgery, but it’s a significant injury.
“He’s a very important player for us that we’re going to miss a large chunk of the season. It’s disappointing for him and for us as well.”
This is a tough break for the 27-year-old, who looked like he was finally back on track with the performance against United, and now he is left with another upwards climb.
Tuanzebe hard luck
Axel Tuanzebe’s latest hard luck story is a reminder why it did not work out for him at Manchester United, it was not that he was not talented enough.
Tuanzebe simply could not stay fit, and amid intense competition for places at United, it meant he could not get a run of games.
He ended up making only 37 appearances for Manchester United for a combined 1,971 minutes, a combined 53 minutes per game.
A loan spell at Napoli saw him play only twice as injuries struck there too, and it has not been easy for him.
We wish him luck as he starts his recovery to try and get back to play a part for Ipswich later this season.
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