Axel Tuanzebe latest updates: Defender completes Ipswich Town move, Kieran McKenna reaction, Man United wage reveal
We round up all the latest news involving Axel Tuanzebe after he completed his move to Ipswich Town.
Former Man United defender Axel Tuanzebe has completed a move to Ipswich Town on a one-year contract with the option to extend.
Tuanzebe’s opportunities at United became limited in recent years, leading to loan spells at Aston Villa, Napoli, and Stoke City.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, who previously worked with Tuanzebe at Old Trafford, played a big role in his decision to join the club.
Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe completed his move to Ipswich Town on Friday.
Tuanzebe was released by the Red Devils earlier this summer and after spending a week training with the Tractor Boys, he put pen-to-paper on a one-year contract at Portman Road, with the club having the option to extend for a further year.
The 25-year-old had been with United since the age of eight and he went on to make 37 appearances for the first team, but his opportunities became increasingly limited in recent years and he spent time out on loan with Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke City.
Tuanzebe has worked with Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna previously during his time as a coach at Old Trafford and he becomes the Tractor Boys’ seventh signing of the summer after the arrivals of Jack Taylor, Cieran Slicker, George Hirst, Omari Hutchinson, Brandon Williams and Dane Scarlett.
| Ipswich Town – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Jack Taylor | Peterborough United | Permanent |
| George Hirst | Leicester City | Permanent |
| Cieran Slicker | Man City | Permanent |
| Brandon Williams | Man United | Loan |
| Dane Scarlett | Tottenham | Loan |
| Omari Hutchinson | Chelsea | Loan |
| Axel Tuanzebe | Man United | Permanent |
What has Tuanzebe said about signing for Ipswich?
The defender says he is delighted to make the move to Suffolk and revealed that McKenna was a big factor in his decision to join the club.
“It feels great to finally get the deal over the line,” Tuanzebe told the club’s official website.
“I had conversations with the manager earlier in the summer, having worked with him previously, and it’s great to have a familiar face. Knowing the calibre of coach he is, it was a good decision to come here because I know the standards he has and how thorough he is.
“The stadium, pitch and training ground are top notch and the group is humble, willing to work and everyone wants to take the Club into a better position.
“I am delighted to be here and can’t wait to get started.”
Tuanzebe could make his debut for Ipswich in their game against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday.
Kieran McKenna reaction to Tuanzebe signing
McKenna is pleased to be reunited with Tuanzebe and he outlined the qualities he believes the centre-back will bring to his side.
“We’re really pleased to have Axel at the Football Club,” McKenna told the club’s official website.
“He’s a defender with a lot of experience and pedigree at a young age and a lot of qualities as a player and as a person. He’s fast, strong in one-on-one situations, is a good communicator and carries the ball well. We think he will bring a lot to the team and to the Club.
“He has trained well with the group over the last week and will continue to do so. We want to build him up in a sensible way and get him back to his best condition. If we do that we feel we could have a very valuable asset for the team.
“We have enjoyed working with him this week and he’s enjoyed being with us and being part of the environment, getting to know the culture and how we play.
“Now we’re looking forward to getting more work in on the training pitch and integrating him into the team.”
Man United, Tuanzebe wage reveal
According to Football Insider, United denied Tuanzebe a £20,000-a-week pay rise when they released him this summer.
The Red Devils had an option to extend Tuanzebe’s contract by a further 12 months and had this been activated, his wages would have risen to £62,000 per week, an increase of £20,000, but Erik ten Hag decided against keeping him at Old Trafford.
It is likely that Tuanzebe will need to take a significant wage cut to join Ipswich, but the club are known to have vast financial resources which will have helped them to secure a deal.
