Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe is reportedly wanted by Napoli, who have held talks with intermediaries over a possible transfer.
The Red Devils ace has rarely been a regular first-team player in his time at Old Trafford, and is currently in a third loan spell with Aston Villa.
It remains to be seen if Tuanzebe will remain at Villa Park, however, as Fabrizio Romano now says Napoli have begun efforts to try to sign him on loan until the end of this season, which could mean his current loan deal is cut short.
Nothing is agreed yet, however, as per Romano in his tweet below…
Napoli are in contact with Manchester United through intermediaries to discuss potential loan fee and buy option for Axel Tuanzebe. The centre back is appreciated but price tag will be key to proceed in negotiations. ? #MUFC #Napoli
Aston Villa are waiting – nothing agreed yet.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 30, 2021
Napoli could be a good move for Tuanzebe, as he might benefit from a change of scene after failing to really get his career off the ground in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old clearly has talent, but sometimes it takes a while to find the right club, and it might be that Napoli would represent a welcome change of direction that could aid his development.
We saw similar with Fikayo Tomori, who wasn’t playing much or progressing well at Chelsea before he joined AC Milan on loan and improved tremendously.
This earned Tomori a permanent transfer to the San Siro, and he remains a key player for Milan, so perhaps he could be inspiration for Tuanzebe, and indeed for others in a similar situation.