Town signed Axel Tuanzebe on a free transfer on 8 September, 2023, with the defender penning a one-year deal.

The 25-year-old left Manchester United in the summer, having been at Old Trafford since the age of eight and going on to make 37 appearances for the first-team, while also spending time on loan with Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke City. 

Axel made his senior United debut in January 2017 and went on to feature in the Premier League and Champions League for the club, while also becoming the Red Devils’ youngest captain in more than 30 years, when he wore the armband aged just 21 in an EFL Cup game in 2019. 

The first of three loan spells at Aston Villa followed in the second half of 2017/2018, with the most productive stint at the Midlands club coming in 2018/19, when he made 30 appearances during the club’s promotion from the Championship. Axel also played the full 90 minutes in the Play-Off Final victory over Derby County at Wembley.

Time on loan at both Italian side Napoli and Stoke City in the Championship have added to the defender’s experiences in the game, prior to his move to Portman Road.