Axel Tuanzebe’s decade-and-a-half-long connection with Manchester United is seemingly at its end. According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the defender will depart his boyhood club this summer after failing to break into the first team ahead of Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane.
Tuanzebe’s current contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 season, which means that the club would be eligible to receive a fee in the region of 8 million euros for transferring his rights as per Transfermarkt’s valuation.
Despite being at Manchester United since 2006, Tuanzebe has racked up more appearances across three separate seasons on loan at fellow Premier League side Aston Villa than at his parent club. The centerback joined the Villans initially in January 2018, before returning for the subsequent season, and then again in 2020/21 until midway through the campaign, when he was recalled and loaned out to Serie A side Napoli.
Overall, the 24-year-old played for the Naples side twice in six months, 46 times for Villa across three different campaigns, and 37 times for United over four seasons.
But, as per Romano, Tuanzebe is not the only player who will leave Old Trafford this summer. The club is also ready to cut ties with central defender Eric Bailly, whom they signed for 30 million pounds from LaLiga side Villarreal in 2016.
Injuries have limited the Ivorian’s appearances for the Red Devils to just 113 across six seasons, while he has also been overshadowed by a revolving door of central defensive signings the club has made in recent years.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future, too, remains uncertain. Romano reported that the club would allow the right-back to leave should a desirable offer arrive; Crystal Palace were linked with a loan move for their academy graduate, but those links have gone quiet. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot is now expected to stay, and fight for a place under new manager Erik ten Hag.
