Aston Villa have confirmed that Axel Tuanzebe should return to Bodymoor Heath in March and could be available to play in five weeks’ time. The on-loan 21-year-old has been out of action since mid-December with a foot injury and returned to parent club Manchester United for his rehabilitation.
Tuanzebe will be back at Villa in the coming weeks and could make his long-waited return after the international break. That means he could face Blackburn Rovers on March 30. The central defender has made 19 Championship appearances this season, the last of which came against Stoke City on December 15.
He’s missed 11 Championship outings since and now finds himself being behind the likes of Tommy Elphick, Tyrone Mings, James Chester and Kortney Hause in the pecking order. While Tuanzebe may be available for selection at the end of March, there’s no guarantee Dean Smith will start him against Blackburn or any other club.
Elphick was recalled from his loan spell at Hull City due to an injury crisis at the back and has been a regular at the heart of the defence ever since. Mings was also recruited to fill a void and he’s impressed in every game since joining on loan from Bournemouth. There might not be toom for Axel.
Crippy Cooke’s previous article
Aston Villa man ruled out of Stoke clash, Dean Smith says he ‘should be ready for Derby’
