[ad_pod ]
According to the Birmingham Mail, Axel Tuanzebe returned to first-team training with Aston Villa on Monday as he bids to play a part in their playoff challenge.
What’s the word, then?
Tuanzebe re-joined Villa on loan from Manchester United last summer, having seen his loan spell with the Championship club cut short last season through injury.
The centre-back has made 19 Championship appearances this term, but has not featured since the middle of December after undergoing a foot operation.
Tuanzebe has since been back at United recovering, but according to the Birmingham Mail, the 21-year-old returned to first-team training with Villa on Monday.
The report has claimed that the Englishman will not be available to face Nottingham Forest or Middlesbrough over the next week, but could return for the home game against Blackburn Rovers at the end of the month.
What does it mean for Villa?
It really is a huge boost for a Villa team currently struggling with a number of defensive injuries.
Tyrone Mings has been impressive since joining on loan from Bournemouth, but the likes of James Chester, Tommy Elphick and Alan Hutton are currently on the sidelines.
Kortney Hause had to switch from left-back to central defence for Sunday’s clash with Birmingham City, with Neil Taylor coming into the XI.
Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…
Tuanzebe’s form in the opening weeks of the campaign was fairly mixed, but he switched from right-back to central defence in the middle of October and was in a wonderful run of form before picking up his foot injury – cementing himself as a key member of Villa’s starting XI.
Villa now sit just four points off the top six in the Championship following back-to-back wins, and Tuanzebe’s return has come at the perfect time.