Ipswich

Burnley have signed centre-back Axel Tuanzebe on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract with Ipswich Town.

Tuanzebe made 45 appearances in all competitions for the Tractor Boys and was influential in their promotion to the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign.

The 27-year-old made 22 top-flight appearances last season and has decided to remain in the Premier League with newly promoted Burnley rather than sign a new deal with Ipswich.

The DR Congo defender has reportedly, external signed a one-year deal at Turf Moor and becomes head coach Scott Parker’s third summer signing.

He follows Netherlands left-back Quilindschy Hartman and goalkeeper Max Weiss to the club.

“It became a very simple decision after speaking to the manager and the message was very clear, precise and straight to the point,” said Tuanzebe.

“It’s a new chapter for me, back in the vicinity of Manchester and home and I’m ready to continue my journey now at Burnley.”

Tuanzebe began his senior career with Manchester United and was an England age-group international before switching his allegiance to his native DR Congo.

The defender has won three caps for his country and is likely to feature in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in December.

Burnley begin their Premier League campaign at Tottenham on Saturday, 16 August (15:00 BST).

As ever with these situations, Manchester United can draw a positive out of a negative.

They felt earlier this week it was coming towards the end game in their pursuit of Delap, and it was between them and Chelsea. Now they know they have lost out.

The positive is, with the decision made, they can move on. That is in stark contrast to 2022, when then manager Erik ten Hag delayed for months in an ultimately fruitless attempt to sign Frenkie de Jong and United ended up panicking at the end of the transfer window and spent £150m on Casemiro and Antony.

But that does not answer the pertinent question: who do they try for now?

Delap fitted their template of an improving, hungry young player, with scope to reach a high standard – at a set fee.

Rasmus Hojlund – who is four days younger than Delap – fitted the same criteria, apart from the last one. And it has not worked out.

Nothing I have seen on their post-season trip to Asia makes me feel United have the answer to their goalscoring issues within the club. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

The ‘safe’ but expensive options are Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta. But Mateta is 27 and Mbeumo will be at the Africa Cup of Nations for a month with Cameroon.

After that, it is a risk.

Former United striker Danny Welbeck scored 10 goals in the Premier League at the age of 34. Is there any merit in bringing him back and taking some of the pressure off Hojlund – or has Ruben Amorim concluded the 22-year-old Denmark international will never be good enough?

If so, it is back to Europe to sign another promising forward with no guarantee it will work.