Manchester United have reportedly been sued by former player Axel Tuanzebe over “clinical negligence” that contributed to his injury struggles.
Tuanzebe is a product of the Red Devils’ fabled academy system. He joined the club at the age of eight and captained them at every youth level, before making his senior debut in January 2017 and going on to make 37 competitive appearances.
He also had loan spells at Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke City, but fitness problems hampered his progress. The DR Congo international puts those issues down to questionable “medical advice”.
According to The Telegraph, Tuanzebe has “lodged a legal claim at the High Court”. Lawyers working on behalf of the 27-year-old have declined to comment on the case, which comes some two years after the defender left Old Trafford on a permanent basis.
Axel Tuanzebe left Manchester United in 2023. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
Tuanzebe joined Ipswich in 2023, becoming their first choice right-back and helping to earn promotion into the Premier League. He left Portman Road as a free agent on the back of relegation, when his contract expired, and has since linked up with top-flight new boys Burnley.
The DR Congo international, who represented England’s youth teams injury struggles started when picking up a hip complaint ahead of a meeting with Liverpool in October 2019. Another knock suffered in a Carabao Cup clash with Colchester sidelined him for the rest of that season.
A foot injury kept him out at the start of the following campaign, with another lengthy spell on the treatment table endured at the start of the 2022-23 season. His fortunes improved after joining Ipswich, but he did suffer a freak injury there in October 2024 when requiring surgery to save a thumb that he cut badly while doing washing-up.
United have been approached for comment about a lawsuit filed barely two years after they announced Tuanzebe’s exit in a glowing tribute on their website.
It read: “His departure is an emotional one for the player and many at the club who have known and helped nurture him over the years. A fine character, he leaves United universally respected as a credit to himself and his family.
“Everyone at the club would like to extend our best wishes to Axel as he embarks upon the next chapter of his career. We would also like to thank him for always representing Manchester United with class and dignity.”
The legal dispute is the second United have faced in relation to Tuanzebe.
