Man Utd send message to players as Tuanzebe and Galbraith sent packing

Manchester United have sent a message to their younger players by releasing both Axel Tuanzebe and Ethan Galbraith. Both players were considered to have big futures when they emerged from the academy but have failed to fulfil their potential and will be looking for new clubs at the end of the season.

With the end of the campaign drawing near, football teams across the country are working out what to do with their out-of-contract players. United are no different and five players are set to leave the club according to the Manchester Evening News. Phil Jones, Ondrej Mastny and Charlie Wellens will be on their way with Tuanzebe and Galbraith joining them.

The departures of the once-highly-rated duo may serve as a warning to the club’s younger players. It shows the Red Devils will be ruthless with players even if they initially show promise if they think it is the best decision.

Tuanzebe was once tipped to be a future United captain and even became the youngest man to wear the armband in over 30 when he led the team out in the Carabao Cup vs Rochdale in 2019 ahead of senior pros like Paul Pogba and Jones.

He received big praise from club captain Harry Maguire in 2021 who stated that he was a leader in the dressing room.

“We have a lot of leaders in the dressing room, a lot of senior pros,” Maguire explained. “And you don’t have to be a senior pro to be a leader. Axel is a leader, in the ways that he works and speaks in the dressing room.

“And he’s only a young boy, he’s still learning his trade. I’m sure he’ll go on to have an unbelievable career.”

Galbraith also received high praise during the early stages of his career and was initially compared to Andres Iniesta and Xavi by then-international boss Ian Baraclough.

“Not to put too much pressure on his shoulders, but he’s our little Iniesta or Xavi,” Baraclough said in 2020 after naming Galbraith in the Northern Ireland squad for the first time. “[He’s] someone who can get on the ball and manipulate the ball and find positive passes. Over the coming years, he will give us a different flavour to the squad.”

It is unlikely the five players will be the only departures from Old Trafford over the summer as Erik ten Hag looks to create space for new arrivals.