Axel Tuanzebe is on loan at Championship strugglers Aston Villa from Premier League giants Manchester United – but could he stay under Dean Smith?
Money might have been a little tight at Aston Villa during an uncertain couple of months but the Midland giants certainly made good use of the loan market. Tammy Abraham has impressed since arriving from Chelsea, while Yannick Bolasie could prove to be a hugely important signing from Everton.
But Axel Tuanzebe could be on another level.
The 20-year-old returned to Villa Park for a second spell from Manchester United in the summer and wasted no time in establishing himself in the back four. Tuanzebe has started 12 Championship games this season with half of those coming in his favoured central role.
And he should only get better too. Speaking to the Express and Star, Tuanzebe has admitted that he is enjoying the new style of play introduced by Dean Smith, whose teams tend to play out from the back rather than lump the ball forward a la Steve Bruce.
But whether Villa have any chance of signing Tuanzebe permanently from Manchester United remain to be seen. New owners Naseef Sawiris and Wes Edens are expected to make money available and the fans would love to see a few million spent on their man-mountain centre-back.
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