McKenna: We Definitely Want to Keep Axel
Friday, 18th Apr 2025 16:16

Blues boss Kieran McKenna says he definitely wants to keep defender Axel Tuanzebe at the club next season.

DR Congo international Tuanzebe is out of contract in the summer and is yet to agree new terms at the club. Speaking last week, the former Manchester United man said he was happy to wait until the summer to settle his future.

McKenna is in no doubt that he wants the 27-year-old to remain at Portman Road at the end of his second season at the club.

“Definitely, and Axel knows that,” McKenna said. “We think a lot of him and he’s been a very important player for us this season and last season and he’s built himself back up to a good level, we think, of form and robustness and found a good home here.

“Of course, we’re going to try and if that can be possible then I think we’ll be really pleased.

“And I think it’s a good place for Axel as well, and let’s see what the next few weeks brings.”

While Tuanzebe will definitely be in his plans for next season if a deal can be agreed, there are players who will almost certainly be moving on whether at the end of loans or otherwise this summer.

However, McKenna isn’t going to take those sorts of matters into consideration when he picks his teams in the remaining weeks of the campaign, despite the Blues’ relegation being all but confirmed.

“There are always a multitude of things that come into your thinking, but the overwhelming majority is to picking a team to perform as we can and try and pick up points,” he said.

“It’s not the contractual situation of different players or anything like that. We’ve still got six games left, it’s still a chunk of the season, we know how big the season is and we want every performance to be at the best level we can possibly produce. That’s the real overriding factor in any decision that we’re making.”

Photo: Matchday Images

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Radlett_blue added 16:39 - Apr 18 I'd love to keep Axel too, but at age 27 he will want the best offer around. Not sure if he's done enough for a lower PL club to give him a decent contract as a versatile squad player.
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flykickingbybgunn added 17:02 - Apr 18 Keep him if we can. Fine player.
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Bazza8564 added 17:17 - Apr 18 Hope he stays, good player and we offered him a deal when he was struggling so fingers crossed he wants to repay the faith....
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RegencyBlue added 17:18 - Apr 18 He’ll be looking to stay in the PL and if he can stay fit he can still do a job for a middle ranking club. Sad to say I think if he was going to sign for us again he’d have done it by now. Same with Burgess.
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trevski_s added 17:37 - Apr 18 He is so important in our defence, seems to enjoy being here and seems like a really likeable guy so can imagine both fans and the rest of the team hope we can resign him. Same with Burgess
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NthQldITFC added 17:45 - Apr 18 Superb, calm, strong, intelligent player - I hope we push out the boat a bit to convince him to stay. Definitely the sort of play we'll need for our next push at the PL.
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RobsonWark added 17:47 - Apr 18 Axel has been one of our best players this season so we need to keep him.
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poet added 21:55 - Apr 18 A must if possible. For me, when fit, he’s been a class above many other players in his position.
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gkroon89 added 09:12 - Apr 19 I like Tuanzebe as a defensive midfielder and he is very capable. Could he remain as a centre back if Burgess goes? As a full back, he can hinder us a little as he is not a good defender going forward. He doesn’t provide attacking width for us as proved by only 1 assist this season. With Johnson and Harry Clarke do we honestly need him as a full back?
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