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Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe has chosen to start a fresh phase of his career in France. The former academy product had once been regarded as a player with a big future at Old Trafford, but his journey has not unfolded in the way many expected.

Tuanzebe joined the Red Devils when he was eight years old and moved through the youth system steadily. He won the prestigious Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2015 and the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award in 2017, underlining the scale of his promise.

Tuanzebe made his senior debut in January 2017 and spent the following 12 months moving in and out of the first-team picture. He then left on loan for Aston Villa in January 2018 before extending that temporary spell at Villa Park later that summer, eventually helping the club secure promotion to the Premier League.

That earned him a longer run in the United side at the start of the 2019/20 season, but a hamstring injury disrupted his progress. Tuanzebe later returned in October 2020 and produced an outstanding display against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Champions League, keeping Kylian Mbappe and Neymar quiet.

Unfortunately, he was unable to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI. After loan spells with Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke City, the Congo international was released by the Red Devils in the summer of 2023.

Tuanzebe joined Ipswich Town as a free agent in 2023 and helped them win promotion to the Premier League in his first season. Mainly a centre-back, he made the right-back role his own in the second half of the campaign and then extended his stay at Portman Road by another year.

The 28-year-old left the Tractor Boys last summer after their relegation from the English top flight and signed a one-year contract with newly-promoted Burnley. However, he struggled with fitness problems, could not prevent the Clarets from going down, and departed at the end of the season.

After a summer filled with speculation, Tuanzebe has now secured a new club in Ligue 1.

Auxerre have confirmed the signing of Tuanzebe on a one-year deal with the option of an extra year. Announcing the move on their website, the Ligue 1 side said: “AJ Auxerre is delighted to announce the signing of Axel Tuanzebe.”

“A free agent following a season at Burnley, the 28-year-old Congolese international defender has signed a one-season contract, with an option for a further year. He will wear the number 4 shirt.”

“An international for the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2024, Axel also represented the Leopards at the 2026 World Cup.”

“A versatile defender, capable of playing both in central defence and at right-back, he brings to the Auxerre squad his experience of top-flight English football, his athletic ability and his defensive solidity. Welcome, Axel!”

Tuanzebe’s career once appeared to hold enormous promise, but injuries ultimately prevented him from fulfilling it. Manchester United may feel their decision to let him leave in 2023 has been justified, and there will be hope that the Congo international can revive his career in France.