Former Manchester United defender, Axel Tuanzebe, has dragged the Premier League giants to court, claiming £1 million in damages for alleged medical negligence during his time at Old Trafford.
Court filings obtained by Sky News revealed that Tuanzebe, now playing for Burnley, accused United of mishandling his spinal injuries and failing to provide proper medical care, which he says has had a lasting effect on his career.
According to the documents, Tuanzebe said he “can no longer play without restriction or impediment” after suffering repeated spinal fractures while at Manchester United. He is seeking compensation that “exceeds £1,000,000” if the court rules in his favour.
The lawsuit centres on a left-sided pars fracture — a stress injury in the lower spine — which the defender reportedly sustained in January 2020. He claimed that United’s medical team failed to properly rest him or refer him to a specialist sports spinal surgeon. A similar injury was later recorded on his right side in July 2022.
Tuanzebe’s legal team alleged, “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.”
The documents further stated that United’s alleged negligence caused his condition to worsen into “bilateral grade 4 fractures” and a “chronic spinal fracture.”
The court filing added, “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.”
Tuanzebe, a product of Manchester United’s academy, joined the club as a young teenager and spent 17 years before leaving in 2023. He made his senior debut in January 2017 but struggled with persistent injuries that hampered his development and limited his appearances. One of his most serious setbacks came in December 2019 during a Carabao Cup tie against Colchester United, which ended his season.
