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Steve Bruce confident of Axel Tuanzebe progress at Aston Villa

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Axel Tuanzebe joined Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

Axel Tuanzebe (38) of Manchester United runs up the field during an International Champions Cup match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA,...

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has revealed to the club’s official website that Manchester United-owned Axel Tuanzebe will get better as the season progresses.

Tuanzebe spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa from Premier League rivals United and returned to the Villans in the summer transfer window.

The 20-year-old defender will stay at Villa for the 2018-19 campaign and will be hoping to establish himself in the first team as the season progresses.

The youngster had injury issues at Villa last season, and manager Bruce is optimistic that the England Under-21 international – who earns £260,000 per year as salary, according to Spotrac.com – will be good for his team this season.

Bruce told Villa’s official website about Tuanzebe: “The more he plays, the better he’ll become. He’s one of them that has been caught between U23 football and the first team, but then doesn’t play.

“He simply needs to play. I don’t know when he would have last played back-to-back games, for example.

“He can play all across the back four and even into central midfield if you need him to. It’s about getting minutes for him – he’ll be fine.”

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce during the Sky Bet League Two match between Yevoil Town and Mansfield Town at Huish Park on August 14, 2018 in Yeovil, United Kingdom.

Important player

Tuanzebe is still developing and progressing as a player, but the youngster has shown enough to suggest that he has a bright future in the game.

While it is going to be hard for the United-owned defender to establish himself as a regular starter for Villa, his versatility will be important as the season progress.

New signing Axel Tuanzebe of Aston Villa poses for a picture at the club's training ground at Bodymoor Heath on August 06, 2018 in Birmingham, England.