Defender sues Man Utd for £1m

A former Manchester United defender who now plays for Burnley, Axel Tuanzebe, has filed a £1million lawsuit against the club, alleging “clinical negligence” in the medical care he received during his time at Old Trafford

As reported by Sky News on Tuesday, court documents indicate that the defender—now with Premier League side Burnley—claims he can no longer play “without restriction or impediment” due to injuries sustained while at United.

The defender reportedly “expects to recover damages in excess of £1,000,000” should he win the case.

The case centres on a left-sided pars fracture, a stress fracture of the lower spine, first sustained in January 2020, which reportedly caused him “significant pain and discomfort.”

A similar injury on the right side in July 2022 is also cited. He and his legal team alleged that United failed to allow adequate rest and did not refer him to a specialist sports spinal surgeon.

“Appropriate treatment plans would, on the balance of probabilities, have resulted in the claimant avoiding the pain and discomfort… and being able to play professional football at an elite level without restriction or impediment. As it is, although he continues to play at an elite level, this has impacted his career and earnings,” the court papers read.

It continued, “It is the claimant’s case that the defendant (United) negligently failed to properly investigate the claimant’s pars fractures, failed to rest the claimant and failed to refer him to a specialist sports spinal surgeon. As a result, the claimant’s symptoms significantly progressed to bilateral grade 4 fractures, and he developed a left-sided chronic spinal fracture.

“Had the claimant been appropriately rested, his left-sided pars fracture would not have developed into a chronic condition, and the right-sided fracture would have been avoided altogether.”

An academy graduate at United, Tuanzebe left the club in 2023 after 17 years. He made his senior debut in January 2017, but his time at Old Trafford was disrupted by multiple injuries, including a season-ending one against Colchester United in the Carabao Cup in December 2019.

Manchester United has declined to comment on the lawsuit.