# Axel Tuanzebe

Axel Tuanzebe (born 14 November 1997) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Ipswich Town and the DR Congo national team.
Tuanzebe is a graduate of the Manchester United youth system and won both the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year and Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year awards. He made his competitive debut in an FA Cup game against Wigan Athletic in January 2017. He has had three spells on loan at Aston Villa and helped them to win promotion to the Premier League in 2019. After spending time with Napoli in 2022 and Stoke City in 2023, he was released by Manchester United at the end of the 2022–23 season.
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tuanzebe relocated to England at a young age and represented England at under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, before opting to represent the DR Congo senior team in 2024.

## Club career
### Manchester United
#### Early years

Tuanzebe was associated with the Manchester United academy from the age of eight. He was captain of the Milk Cup winning youth side in 2014. In May 2015, Tuanzebe won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. Academy coach Paul McGuinness noted that Tuanzebe was likely the first first-year scholar to captain the under-18 side since Gary Neville.
On 31 October 2015, at the age of 17, Tuanzebe was named on the substitutes bench for a match against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, the first time he had been a member of a first-team matchday squad.

#### 2016–17 season

On 29 January 2017, Tuanzebe made his Manchester United debut as a 68th-minute substitute, replacing Timothy Fosu-Mensah during a 4–0 FA Cup victory over Wigan Athletic at Old Trafford. Four days later, he extended his contract at Manchester United until 2020, with the option of a further year. On 7 May 2017, Tuanzebe started a senior match for the first time, in a 2–0 defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League. He won the Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year award in May 2017.

#### 2017–18 season

Tuanzebe made his first start of the season against Swansea City in the EFL Cup on 24 October 2017, playing a key part in the second goal of the 2–0 victory. On 5 December 2017, he made his European debut in a 2–1 victory over CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Champions League.

#### Loans to Aston Villa

On 25 January 2018, Tuanzebe joined Championship side Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the season. However, due to injury problems and the form of preferred centre-backs James Chester and John Terry he was only able to make five appearances before returning to Manchester United. In August 2018, after going on United's pre-season tour to the United States, he joined Aston Villa on loan again for the 2018–19 season. On 27 May 2019, he played the full 90 minutes as Villa achieved promotion to the Premier League in the 2019 EFL Championship play-off final with a victory over Derby County in the final.

#### 2019–20 season

In July 2019, Tuanzebe signed a new contract with Manchester United until June 2022, with an option for an additional year. At 21 years old, he became the youngest player to captain United since Norman Whiteside in 1985, during an EFL Cup victory against Rochdale in September 2019. Throughout the first two months of the 2019–20, Tuanzebe established himself as a starting centre back for Manchester United and was due to start the North West Derby in October but suffered a hip injury in the warm up. He made his return in December's EFL Cup victory over Colchester United, but suffered a hamstring injury during the game ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

#### 2020–21 season

On 20 October 2020, Tuanzebe started his first game in 10 months, after suffering an ankle injury in pre-season. The game was his UEFA Champions League debut in which Manchester United won 2–1 away against Paris Saint-Germain. Tuanzebe received praise for his match performance, especially his defensive work against Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. He started his first league game of the season on 27 January 2021, in a 2–1 home defeat to eventual bottom-finishers Sheffield United. On 25 February, he scored what would have been his only goal for Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League against Real Sociedad. However, VAR ruled the goal put due to teammate Victor Lindelöf fouling an opponent during the corner. Tuanzebe played all remaining Europa League games up until and including the final and was a rotation option in the Premier League making 19 appearances in total.

#### 2021–22 season: Aston Villa & Napoli loans

After a couple of displays for Manchester United in pre season friendlies, including a 4–2 away defeat at Queens Park Rangers, on 8 August 2021, Tuanzebe signed a new two-year contract with Manchester United, with the option of an extra year; that day, he also agreed to rejoin Aston Villa on loan for the 2021–22 season, his third loan spell with the club. On 8 January 2022, Tuanzebe was recalled from his Aston Villa loan, and loaned to Serie A team Napoli.

#### 2022–23 season: Stoke City loan

Tuanzebe suffered a further injury in the pre-season of 2022–23 season and did not return to training until January. On deadline day of the mid-season transfer window, he joined Stoke City on loan for the remainder of the season. However, continued injury problems restricted him to only five appearances.

### Ipswich Town

On 8 September 2023, Tuanzebe signed for EFL Championship side Ipswich Town on an initial 12-month contract. On 3 June 2024, Ipswich announced they had extended his contract by 12 months. In October 2024 he suffered an unusual injury when he cut his thumb while washing dishes, requiring surgery in order to save it.

## International career

Tuanzebe is eligible to represent England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo at international level. He has played youth international football for England at under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels.
Tuanzebe began his international career in June 2016, when he made his first appearance for England at under-19 level, against Mexico. He was a member of the England under-20 squad which won all three matches at the Four Nations tournament in October 2016. Tuanzebe was withdrawn from selection for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup due to club commitments.
On 10 November 2017, Tuanzebe made his debut for England at under-21 level, against Ukraine.
In December 2023, Tuanzebe was pre-called up by the DR Congo national team for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Tuanzebe made his debut for the DR Congo national team on 6 June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Senegal at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium. He played the full match as the game ended in a 1–1 draw.

## Style of play

Tuanzebe's preferred position is at centre-back, but he can also play as a right-back, and has featured as a holding midfielder. His playing style has been compared to that of his former Manchester United teammate Eric Bailly and former Spain international Javi Martínez. Tuanzebe's performance on his first-team debut in a friendly against Wigan Athletic in July 2016 led manager José Mourinho to remark, "10 minutes is enough! The potential is there, you see it immediately."

## Personal life

Tuanzebe was born in Bunia, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He immigrated to England with his family at the age of four. He attended St Cuthbert's RC High School in Rochdale and captained the Year 7 football team to the final of the English National Schools Cup at Stamford Bridge in 2009. In the same year, he was awarded Sports Boy of the Year by the Mayor of Rochdale. He also represented his school in cross-country and triple-jump. He is the younger brother of ex-Clitheroe striker Dimitri Tuanzebe.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 3 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Manchester United | 2015–16 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2016–17 | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2017–18 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2018–19 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2019–20 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2020–21 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Manchester United | Total | Total | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| Aston Villa (loan) | 2017–18 | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Aston Villa (loan) | 2018–19 | Championship | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Aston Villa (loan) | 2021–22 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 0 |
| Aston Villa (loan) | Total | Total | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
| Napoli (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Stoke City (loan) | 2022–23 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Ipswich Town | 2023–24 | Championship | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 1 |
| Ipswich Town | 2024–25 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Ipswich Town | Total | Total | 33 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 96 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 127 | 1 |
* ↑ Includes FA Cup and Coppa Italia
* ↑ Includes EFL Cup
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in Championship play-offs

### International

    As of match played 9 September 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| DR Congo | 2024 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 3 | 0 |

## Honours

Manchester United
* UEFA Europa League: 2016–17; runner-up: 2020–21
Aston Villa
* EFL Championship play-offs: 2019
Ipswich Town
* EFL Championship runner-up: 2023–24
Individual
* Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year: 2014–15
* Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year: 2016–17