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According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn’t believe he needs a new centre-back this summer and will instead place his faith in academy graduate Axel Tuanzebe.
The 21-year-old has been in excellent form whilst out on loan with Aston Villa this season, and the Red Devils are keen to see what he can do in pre-season as they give him the chance to stake a claim for a first-team place for next term.
Tuanzebe has been at the club since the age of eight, and it is admirable that United are giving him a chance to prove himself at the club.
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However, the 20-time Premier League champions are perhaps at their weakest in the centre of defence, an area which Jose Mourinho had consistently stressed he needed reinforcements in during his final transfer window at the club.
So, are United right to place their trust in Tuanzebe instead of venturing into the market to solve the issue? Football FanCast’s writers have their say on the matter…
Matt Dawson
“Axel Tuanzebe has been a real hit at Villa Park and his performances in the Championship suggest he might be able to help United overcome their biggest problem. He’s been a reliable and consistent figure for Villa and that’s exactly what they’ve been missing. As such, they’d be absolutely right to hand him a chance. United have spent an absolute fortune in recent years and it hasn’t worked whatsoever. Perhaps it’s time for them to change their policy and turn to youth.”
Harry Sherlock
“Tuanzebe has been excellent at Villa but United need more than a 21-year-old kid. In actuality, they probably need to replace Chris Smalling and Phil Jones with a completely new, world-class centre-back pairing. It is not like they don’t have the money. Smalling and Jones have been safe at the club since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is best off binning the two of them, leaving Tuanzebe at Villa Park for another season and splashing the cash this summer.”
Jack Saville
“Tuanzebe could be one of the surprise packages of the season if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decides to trust him next season. Man United’s strategy of splurging on new signings in recent years has got them absolutely nowhere, so maybe it’s time for a major rethink in the way they operate. Solskjaer would be a fool to rely on the 21-year-old to be a first-team regular across multiple competitions, but he could be an excellent squad player throughout the campaign. If he impresses when he is given the chance, he could become the perfect partner for Lindelof.”
