Man Utd's transfer decision stops Liverpool cashing in despite Gerrard plea

Manchester United have scuppered Liverpool 's transfer plans with a decision that will also frustrate Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard.

The Red Devils have reportedly sanctioned a deal for defender Axel Tuanzebe to join Napoli on loan, having spent the first half of the season at Villa Park.

Tuanzebe joined Villa back in August after signing a contract extension at Old Trafford but has only made eight starts since.

His boss, Gerrard, was hoping to keep him in the Midlands but it appears the United academy graduate has made the decision to swap the Premier League for Serie A, with his club soon set to rubber stamp the temporary switch.

But Liverpool centre-back Nathaniel Phillips was previously a target for the Italian giants, confirmed by his agent.

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The Reds were looking to cash in on Phillips after Jurgen Klopp confirmed the 24-year-old's desire to leave but Colin Murdock, who previously looked after Tuanzebe, has revealed that Napoli are now out of the running due to Tuanzebe's decision.

"Napoli have taken Axel Tuanzebe, our former client, on loan, so I think they have finished their operations as regards the role of central defender," Murdock told Area Napoli.

"Therefore, I don't think we need further comments on Nathaniel Phillips."

Gerrard recently plead for Tuanzebe to stay with his side which could have allowed his former club, Liverpool, to sell Phillips.

"It's very much in Ax's hands and Manchester United's hands," the Villa boss explained last week.

"We want him here, we would be delighted to keep him. We don't just see it as a loan until the end of the season. It's something we want to explore further than that. We just hope we've got that opportunity.

"He's a player we like very much and we'd like him to stay until the end of the season at least. Axel is his own man and will want to make his own decision.

"He is obviously owned by Manchester United which we all need to respect. I hope he wants to be part of this. In terms of what he has given on a daily basis, his leadership and training levels have been really strong and he is pushing to play."

"We will see how that one pans out in the short term. We want to keep him."

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Gerrard subsequently confirmed that the Red Devils had the option to recall Tuanzebe during the January window, an option Old Trafford chiefs are set to take up in order to send him to Naples for five months.

"Most loans, to give you a hint, normally have a recall option," he added. "I don't think it makes sense to loan any player out in this day and age, especially when you are going through a pandemic, to not have a recall option.

"We will see how that one pans out in the short term. We want to keep him."