Aniket Rai
Transfer News: Newcastle and Aston Villa eye loan deal for Manchester United ace Axel Tuanzebe
According to Football Insider (h/t ESPN), Newcastle United are leading Aston Villa in the race to sign Axel Tuanzebe because they offer a better chance of regular game-time.
The Magpies and the Villans are both linked with a move for the 23-year-old Englishman. He has failed to cement himself as a starter at United and the much-awaited arrival of Raphael Varane will only push him further down the pecking order.
Amid this, the two Premier League clubs offer him a more realistic chance at getting first-team minutes. And the report mentions that Newcastle lead Villa in the race to sign Tuanzebe because they are more likely to give him regular minutes.
Tuanzebe has spent two separate spells at Villa Park and has played under current Newcastle manager, Steve Bruce, during the 60-year-old’s time as Aston Villa’s manager. But they are likely to have different ambitions now.
Where should Axel go?
Both those spells came when the Birmingham-based club was in the Championship. They are now in the Premier League and their transfer activities, such as the signing of Leon Bailey, shows they have ambitions to challenge for European spots.
And that is possibly why the report goes on to mention that Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings, two established defenders at the club, could stand in Tuanzebe’s way if he were to join the club on loan this season.
It makes sense for the player to opt for a team that offers him more minutes. At 23, he is in the formative years and regular starts will undoubtedly prepare him for when United possibly need him in their starting XI.
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And it would be fruitless for him to join a club where he plays the same squad role that he currently does at Old Trafford – that of a backup defender.
