In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Jonathan Shrager has reported that Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe is set to go out on loan this summer. It is believed that the Red Devils centre-back could go out on loan for the 2021-22 campaign as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to make space in his squad for a new defender in this off-season.
I am told that Axel Tuanzebe will be going out on a full season loan from #MUFC
— Jønathan Shrager (@JonathanShrager) June 16, 2021
Tuanzebe’s Lack Of Game At Manchester Last Season
Tuanzebe was a sporadic presence in Solskjaer’s match-day squad last season but did well to produce a few dominant displays at the back. The Bunia-born sensation participated in 19 matches for Man United in the previous campaign across all competitions.
The 23-year-old struggled to earn regular game time at the Theatre of Dreams but deserves a pat on the back for averaging 1.4 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game in the Premier League last season. He was also tidy with his ball distribution after making 88.6% of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Tuanzebe’s current contract at Man United is set to expire at the end of next season but Solskjaer has the option to extend his stay for a further year next summer. However, the Norwegian head coach doesn’t have any room in his squad for him at the moment as he is still not good enough to feature for the Red Devils week in week out.
Tuanzebe Set To Go Out On Loan: Good Decision By The Red Devils?
Tuanzebe has decent pace in his locker that allows him to make some important recovering runs at the back. He can get stuck in with a few tackles to hamper the opposition’s rhythm in the game and can also clear his lines when needed. The talented centre-back can even play his way out from the defensive end of the field which makes him a good option to call off the bench.
However, the English defensive ace is far too inconsistent to play in the Premier League regularly in the coming seasons. Hence, it makes sense for Man United to loan him out before deciding on whether to extend his deal and sell him for a bargain fee or give him another chance to shine as a first-team defender in the 2022-23 campaign.
Tuanzebe cannot afford to stay on the fringes of Solskjaer’s squad as he needs more playing minutes to grow as a footballer. At 23, the English centre-half still has plenty of time to turn his career around in Premier League football. Hence, Solskjaer’s decision to loan him out for next season seems to be a good move for both the player and the Mancunian club this summer.
