Premier League side Aston Villa have made Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe their fifth signing of the summer transfer window.
Villa have announced that Tuanzebe will rejoin the club on loan until the end of the season after being part of their squad that clinched promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.
Tuanzebe has dropped further down the pecking order at Old Trafford following the imminent arrival of Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane at Man Utd.
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The Englishman has only made six Premier League starts for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side over the last couple of seasons, while he will now be behind Varane, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly in Manchester.
He now goes straight into Villa’s squad to face Salernitana on Sunday afternoon with the Man Utd man named on Dean Smith’s bench.
He joins Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey, Danny Ings and Ashley Young as new signings at Villa, while Jack Grealish has left the club in a £100m deal to Manchester City.
This pre-match content. 😍#WelcomeBackAxel pic.twitter.com/krTc3auzrE
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 8, 2021
When Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor was asked last month whether the club should sign Tuanzebe this summer, he said: “100 per cent.
“The club’s always liked Axel. I was there when he was there and he’s a great talent.
“It would just be the perfect fourth-choice centre-back and second-choice right-back. The signing makes perfect sense.
“They’ve lost Engels. Axel can come in as cover for Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause. Plus he can be back-up for Matty Cash at right-back. You’ve got Ashley Young as cover for left-back as well.
“For me, it’s the perfect signing and it makes sense. It’s not going to cost you an arm and a leg. It just makes sense for the club.”