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A former Manchester United star is pushing ahead with a £1million lawsuit as he sues the club for alleged 'clinical negligence' in relation to 'medical advice’ he received.
Axel Tuanzebe, who came up through Manchester United’s academy, lodged a claim with the High Court back in July.
Tuanzebe’s time at Old Trafford was ridden with injury and, in court documents seen by Sky News, it is alleged that the defender is no longer capable of playing ‘without restriction or impediment’.
The defender, who now plays for Premier League side Burnley, ‘expects to recover damages in excess of £1,000,000’ should he win the case against United.
Tuanzebe joined Manchester United aged eight and rose through the ranks to make his senior debut in January 2017.
While at Old Trafford Tuanzebe suffered a number of injuries, including a season-ending one sustained against Colchester United in the Carabao Cup in December 2019.
Axel Tuanzebe, a product of Man United’s academy, lodged a claim with the High Court in July
Tuanzebe’s time at Old Trafford was ridden with injury and, in court documents seen by Sky, it is alleged that the defender is no longer capable of playing ‘without restriction or impediment’.
Now, for the first time, the crux of the details that Tuanzebe’s case against Manchester United is built on has been revealed.
The lead allegation surrounds a left-sided pars fracture - a stress fracture injury to the lower spine - which occurred in January 2020.
It is said that the injury caused the player ‘significant pain and discomfort since their development and deterioration’.
The lawsuit reportedly goes on to explain that this issue became chronic for the player in July 2022 when he sustained the same injury on the right side of his lower spine.
‘Appropriate treatment plans would, on the balance of probabilities, have resulted in the claimant avoiding the pain and discomfort set out below and would have resulted in him being able to play professional football at elite level without restriction or impediment,’ the lawsuit reads, as per Sky.
‘As it is, although he continues to play at an elite level, this has impacted his career and earnings.’
Tuanzebe and his legal team are alleging in their High Court case that United did not provide him with adequate time to rest the injury and also failed to refer him to a specialist sports spinal surgeon when the initial fracture occurred.
Tuanzebe and his legal team are alleging in their High Court case that United did not provide him with adequate time to rest the injury and failed to refer him to a sports spinal surgeon
The lawsuit reportedly adds that Tuanzebe believes the spinal problem would not have become chronic on his left side, or been triggered on the right side, should United have treated the case differently.
Manchester United did not respond to comment when approached by Daily Mail Sport.
