Aston Villa will not sign loan star Axel Tuanzebe on a permanent deal from Manchester United this summer, according to the Daily Mirror.
The 21-year-old centre-back formed a key part of the Villa side that earned promotion back to the Premier League last season, making 28 of his 30 appearances for the campaign in the Championship.
However, the newspaper says that Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to give Tuanzebe a full pre-season with the club over the coming months and is likely to keep him at Old Trafford next season.
OPINION
If this report is true, it would be a blow to Villa but one they would be able to deal with. Tuanzebe has not been as effective as fellow loan man Tyrone Mings, who moved to Villa Park on a temporary deal from Bournemouth. But there is no doubt Tuanzebe will be missed if he does indeed move back to United and is considered as part of the first team by Solskjaer. The 21-year-old settled brilliantly and he would be a great permanent addition to Dean Smith’s side. However, the Daily Mirror report adds that Villa will be able to negotiate deals for Mings, Anwar el Ghazi and Kortney Hause, with the latter two also loan signings who are set to go back to their parent clubs. This will allow the club to keep some of their talent if they do lose Tuanzebe, and will mean Villa will not have to go out and buy replacements for players who have settled in so well. They might well have their sights set higher after securing a return to the top flight.