Fast budding United star leader that the side wants to bring back at Trafford

Manchester United is mulling of taking back their center-back defender Alex Tuannzebe who has been on loan to Aston Villa the former home for Ashley Young who currently plays the some position as the youth.

The defender could come in handy at a time when United is shaky in their defence and  anxiously looking for players to strengthen the squad ahead of the 2019-2020 season come August.

The 21-year-old defender has been a mainstay for Championship side Aston Villa who secured a play-off place in the league this season after finishing fifth.

Villa face local rivals West Bromwich on Saturday before the second leg at The Hawthorns on Tuesday night, with a final against either Leeds United or Derby County awaiting the victors.

Tuanzebe, who has played 25 matches for the Birmingham based side was sidelined for a short spell due to injury in December, however he came through the same and will no doubt play a huge part in his side’s bid for Premier League football.

Featuring predominantly as a right-sided center-back, Tuanzebe is strong in the tackle and utilizes his 6 ft 1 inch frame to impose himself in the air. In the Championship this season, he has been successful in 52.07% of his aerial duels, which betters the likes of Sheffield United’s Jordan Thorniley and Leeds United’s Kelvin Phillips and has been a leader on the pitch, despite his young age.

He also boast a respectable 30% success rate in his defensive duels with the opposition and a very impressive tackle success rate of 66.67%. That ranks him second overall in the Championship for central-defenders who have played more than 1500 league minutes this season.

Not just strong in the defensive aspects of the game, Tuanzebe has also proven himself tidy with the ball at his feet. He has a pass success rate this season of 87.69%. That ranks him 12th overall in the Championship.

He also averages 1.32 progressive runs per 90 minutes, illustrating his comfort in stepping forward from defence with the ball at his feet and looking to carry his side forward. He can also boast a forward pass success rate of 77%, highlighting he doesn’t fear attempting more line breaking balls forward.

Yet, his forward pass success rate is much lower than that of the likes of Phil Jones, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly who can also boast forward passing success rates of 84%+. In fact, those three same players can also boast an overall pass success rate of 89%+.

This is important to note because Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen for his side to replicate the style of all the top sides in Europe and look to play possession based football, dominating the ball and playing out from the back. As it stands, United’s current crop of defenders aren’t trusted or considered gifted enough to play in this manner.

Although some of it can be attributed to the playing style of Dean Smith’s Aston Villa, it’s unlikely Solskjaer will be able to rely on a 21-year-old next season who seems less versed in this department then what they already have.

That being said, Tuanzebe’s defensive output this season still makes him a real prospect for the future. If given a run in the United side, playing the way Solskjaer wants him to play, he could continue to mature and adapt his game to suit.

Tuanzebe has proven a real good news story out on loan for United this season and could prove an Old Trafford center-back in the not so distant future.

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