Newcastle United have today been linked with a move for Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe.
According to a report from The Telegraph, the Red Devils are willing to let the Englishman depart.
It’s being widely reported that Raphael Varane will complete a move to Old Trafford.
The Frenchman’s arrival will undoubtedly make opportunities harder to come by for Tuanzebe.
So it makes sense for him to leave – it just remains to be seen on what basis his departure will be. The likelihood is that it would be a loan.
If Newcastle are successful in bringing in Tuanzebe, then that will actually be a fairly smart signing.
While Steve Bruce has been in charge, there has been one weakness about the defence.
It’s generally been quite solid, but the one thing the backline has always lacked is a bit of pace and athleticism.
Newcastle will be addressing that issue with any signing of Tuanzebe.
The Independent noted last year how Tuanzebe marshalled Paris Saint-Germain stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in the Champions League.
It’s mentioned that Paul McGuinness, the former head coach of the Manchester United academy, regularly watched Tuanzebe partake in post-training sprint races ‘that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Diamond League’.
Addressing a weakness
Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Paul Dummett, Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernandez, Emil Krafth and Isaac Hayden are not the most mobileset of players.
As solid as they generally all are defensively, they all have the potential to be blitzed past by any rapid Premier League attacker.
Tuanzebe, who earns £50,000-a-week (Spotrac) – is described by McGuinness as a ‘very quick, very athletic and very good one-on-one defender’.
By bringing him in, Bruce would finally have some cover for a big weakness.
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