Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe is set to be released at the end of the current season when his contract expires.
Axel Tuanzebe is one of five Manchester United players who will be released, report The MEN, along with Phil Jones.
For Tuanzebe, his release comes as both a blow and potentially a relief, so he can move forward. He was once highly touted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who told The Mirror: “Axel is a captain in the making, he’s a leader.”
So how did it come to this? Here is a look at how Axel Tuanzebe’s Manchester United career unravelled…
Harry Maguire signs and injury strikes
Axel Tuanzebe came agonisingly close to beginning the 2019/20 season in the starting line-up. After an excellent loan at Aston Villa and a solid pre-season, Tuanzebe was in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s plans.
An injury to Eric Bailly meant Tuanzebe was on course to start United’s opener alongside Victor Lindelof, before the club signed Harry Maguire two days before the season began. He went straight into the team at Tuanzebe’s expense.
Tuanzebe had to make do with cup games, and then when selected in the league as part of a three-man defence at home to Liverpool, he got injured in the warm-up.
By time he returned from injury, Eric Bailly was fit again too, while Covid added to the disruption of a frustrating stop-start season.
Comeback v PSG and disaster v Istanbul Basaksehir
Axel Tuanzebe’s finest moment in a Manchester United shirt came in September 2020 in a thrilling Champions League victory away at PSG.
Plunged straight back in as a starter as part of a back three with Lindelof and Luke Shaw, Tuanzebe looked like he had never been away.
He helped to shut down Kylian Mbappe and Neymar like he was Rio Ferdinand in his pomp, with a superb performance which showed what he was capable of.
The problem for Tuanzebe was he never got the chance to really build on this. He started the next Champions League away game, against Istanbul Basaksehir, and it was a disaster.
Tuanzebe was substituted at half-time and United lost the game, and he never really regained Solskjaer’s trust.
Europa League final snub
Harry Maguire’s injury at the end of the 2020/21 season created an opening for Tuanzebe, a ‘sliding doors’ moment which could have changed everything.
Tuanzebe and Eric Bailly got games at the end of the league campaign, with a spot in the Europa League final up for grabs.
Bailly was selected and United drew the game 1-1, losing on penalties. Tuanzebe scored a superb spot-kick in the shootout, but he would have preferred to have been remembered for a clean sheet and a trophy win, had he started.
Dismal Aston Villa and Napoli loans
Tuanzebe fell further out of favour with the arrival of Raphael Varane. He sought a loan to Aston Villa, which began well, before Dean Smith was sacked and replaced with Steven Gerrard.
He then joined Napoli on loan, which was an ambitious mid-season move. Unfortunately injury curtailed his stint, meaning he played only two games for the club.
It was a real missed opportunity for the defender. Rather than catapulting him up the United pecking order, the poor loan spells saw him fade further from view.
Pre-season injury under Ten Hag
Axel Tuanzebe flew out on Manchester United’s pre-season, before flying back to England before the first game.
Many suspected this may have been because he had a transfer move lined up. Instead it was injury related, with his misfortune striking again.
Tuanzebe barely recovered in time to clinch a January deadline day move to Stoke City, who were willing to take a chance on him.
It was always a long shot Tuanzebe would have a role under Erik ten Hag, but not even getting the chance to prove himself due to injury, was the final straw.
He has only played five times at Stoke, and it remains to be seen what market he will have in the summer for his services.
Tuanzebe clearly has talent, we have seen how good he can be. But he needs a strong run of luck, and a manager who believes in him, to give his stop-start career some much-needed stability. We wish him all the best.
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