Newcastle eager to sign Manchester United's Tuanzebe
Newcastle United are reportedly eager to sign Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe this summer, as they chase new options at centre-back.
According to a report by The Telegraph (via Independent), Newcastle are showing plenty of interest in Manchester United centre-back Tuanzebe.
The 23-year-old has been highlighted as a target for the Magpies, with them 'eager' and 'well placed' to sign him, especially with United set to confirm the signing of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
Tuanzebe has struggled for regular game-time with United, and a move could be on the cards for him to get some well-needed minutes, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirming that he could be set to leave on loan.
"With Raphael looking like everything sorted, can see Axel going out. Phil Jones is due to start over the weekend. Big plus for him. Great to see him ready to train again. Hope he gets some game time soon, either 23s or closed doors."
Whether Tuanzebe will be keen on going out on loan once again or not remains a question, and while Solskjaer sees a future in him at United, with his contract set to expire in 2022, Tuanzebe's future might lie elsewhere.
Newcastle have four senior centre-backs, with Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez and Ciaran Clark all at the club, yet they are still keen on adding to their options at the heart of the defence.
Steve Bruce has often employed a five-at-the-back formation, and due to injuries, he has frequently ended up using full-backs as centre-backs, with Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett often being the ones to fill in that role.
Tuanzebe spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Aston Villa, with his impressive performances leading to Solskjaer to keep him at United for the next two seasons, utilising him as another option in defence.
However, Solskjaer often made use of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as the main partnership in defence, with Eric Bailly acting as an alternative.
Tuanzebe eventually made 19 appearances in all competitions last season, with him starring in United's 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League group stages, yet his performances over the rest of the season being relatively underwhelming.
He has played in all of United's preseason games so far, starting alongside youngster Teden Mengi, but given recent speculation, Tuanzebe could be set to leave Old Trafford, either on loan, or possibly even permanently.
