Axel Tuanzebe joins AJ Auxerre as DR Congo and England defender returns to Ligue 1

DR Congo and England defender Axel Tuanzebe has joined French club AJ Auxerre from Burnley on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old centre-back completed the move on 1 September 2026 and has agreed a contract with Auxerre until 30 June 2027. He will play in Ligue 1 after Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League in the 2025-26 season.

Tuanzebe arrives with experience of English football’s top two divisions, having made 64 Premier League appearances and 52 Championship appearances during his career. He has also played in the Champions League and Europa League.

The defender spent the 2025-26 campaign with Burnley after joining the club from Ipswich Town on a free transfer in July 2025. His spell at Ipswich followed a period without a club after leaving Manchester United in July 2023.

Tuanzebe helped Ipswich secure promotion to the first league in the 2023-24 season, having previously achieved the same feat with Aston Villa in 2018-19. He joined Ipswich after developing through Manchester United’s youth system and making his senior career progress at Old Trafford.

His career has also included loan spells with Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke City. Tuanzebe’s only Serie A appearance came during his temporary move to Napoli in the 2021-22 season, while he made 11 appearances in the EFL Cup and six in the FA Cup.

The 1.88m right-footed defender has played primarily as a centre-back. Across his Premier League career, he has scored once and provided one assist, while his Championship record includes two assists.

Tuanzebe also featured in all four of his side’s possible matches at the 2026 World Cup, starting each game and completing 100% of the available minutes. He did not score or provide an assist during the tournament.

Auxerre have secured the defender without a transfer fee, adding a player whose career has included spells at Manchester United, Aston Villa, Napoli, Stoke City, Ipswich Town and Burnley. The move was completed on 1 September, with Tuanzebe’s Auxerre contract running through the end of June 2027.