Axel’s window of opportunity with Villa loan
UNITED will decide whether to send Axel Tuanzebe on loan at the end of the month.
Villa manager Steve Bruce is interested in taking the 20-year-old on loan until the end of the season to boost the fifth-placed Championship club’s promotion hopes.
Tuanzebe’s only United start this season was in the League Cup fourth round win at Swansea on October and he has had just two cameos since – in the Champions League win over CSKA Moscow and the New Year’s Day victory at Everton.
Centre-half Eric Bailly is sidelined until February at the latest but Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones and Victor Lindelof are all fit and Tuanzebe was omitted from the matchday squads against Football League clubs Bristol City and Derby over the past month.
Mourinho suggested United will delay making a decision on Tuanzebe’s situation until January 31.
“Tuanzebe’s a very good player that is not having lots of possibilities to play here,” Mourinho said.
“But he’s our player and will be our player, no chance we give up on such a talented boy.
“But it is something we are thinking about, a loan until the end of the season.
“We are a bit afraid of injuries, a bit afraid of needing him.
“We have Eric Bailly injured, we are not free of other injuries, so we are delaying the decision and we are going to delay until the end of the transfer window.
“If we have a decision at the end of the month and feel Eric Bailly is close to being back, then probably it will be good for Axel to go on a loan and be back next season, because he’s a player we like very much.” Mourinho added Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the United medical staff agreed he should take a month out after a recurrence of his knee injury. The 36-year-old Swede has not played since he lasted 45 minutes in the Boxing Day draw with Burnley. “Zlatan is injured or is not totally happy with his condition,” Mourinho said. “He fought like a tiger, like he likes to say, to be back, which he did. “He was starting having minutes here and there and had a start, and had 60 minutes in one game, start another one and had 45 minutes, but he was not happy with his feelings. “He consulted other doctors, other opinions and we all make the decision to stop, get treatment and when the feeling is really good, come back to the work. “The date for him to be back to training with the team was around end of January, beginning of February. “So let’s hope his feelings are better and we have him with us as soon as possible.”