Premier League giants Manchester United will reportedly let Axel Tuanzebe join Aston Villa on loan again for the 2018/19 Championship season.
Axel Tuanzebe’s loan spell at Aston Villa last season can best be described as ‘frustrating’.
The 20-year-old defender arrived on loan from Manchester United with big expectations in January but injuries restricted him to just four Championship starts. So supporters were divided by reports in The Sun that Tuanzebe could return for a second spell next season.
In truth, the England youth ace did not do a huge amount to explain why Villa signed him – or why he is so highly regarded by Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. Nonetheless, his signing might just have become essential.
Aston Villa bid an emotional farewell to captain John Terry this week, with the 37-year-old leaving the club after the play-off final defeat to Fulham at Wembley. With Villa needing to raise £40 million to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions, they simply couldn’t afford Terry’s £60,000-a-week wages.
And with funds once again tight at Villa, who spent just over £2 million on new players last season thanks to FFP, they will struggle to sign a ready-made replacement for the influential veteran in the transfer market. So they should now jump at the chance to sign Tuanzebe on another loan deal.
The 2017 Manchester United reserve of the year is obviously a long way from Terry in terms of quality and experience, but his athleticism and versatility would give Steve Bruce a much needed addition in a defence that now features a giant Terry-shaped hole.
In Villa’s predicament, they surely can’t turn down opportunities like this.
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