Raphael Varane’s 50 million transfer could push certain Manchester United players out of the Old Trafford doors. According to The Telegraph, one of those defenders is academy graduate Axel Tuanzebe, who is being eyed for a move by Newcastle United.
The Magpies want to either loan the 23-year-old or, if possible, sign him on a permanent transfer.
Manchester United academy product Tuaznebe joined the club’s youth system in 2006 before coming through the ranks and eventually leaving on his first loan to Aston Villa in 2018. Tuanzebe spent a season and a half at Villa Park, during which time he helped the team earn promotion to the Premier League and earned rave reviews.
Signing a new contract with his boyhood club in 2019, Tuanzebe captained the team in an EFL Cup tie against Rochdale, becoming the youngest United player to do so since 1985. However, injuries disrupted Tuanzebe’s career at Old Trafford, and he ended up making just 29 appearances in two years, most of which came in European competitions.
Tuanzebe is currently one of five senior center-backs on the books of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Varane’s arrival also could impact the futures of Eric Bailly and Phil Jones. The latter recently completed ten years at the club but has only made two appearances in the last two years. His contract runs on until 2023, a year less than Bailly, who agreed to extend his deal until 2024 last season.
