‘Grateful I still have my thumb’ – Ex-Man Utd hero and Ipswich star gives update on freak injury before Chelsea clash
IT WILL be thumbs up for Axel Tuanzebe this season even if Ipswich go down.
The Tractor Boys go to Chelsea today knowing a shock win will still not boost their survival hopes.
But Town defender Tuanzebe, 27, just wants to perform and put a freak injury behind him.
He sustained a cut hand while washing up in September and it almost saw him lose a thumb.
Tuanzebe said: “It’s something I just want to put behind me, move forward and focus on the football.
“It cost me a few games this season and I want to make up for it.
“It wasn’t a minor issue, it was quite serious. The club have been very supportive, the medical staff in particular.
” I’m just grateful that I still have my thumb intact.
“It’s OK now thanks to a good doctor and now it is time to crack on and knuckle down for the season.”
Town boss Kieran McKenna revealed at the time that Tuanzebe had to have surgery to repair the tendons in the thumb.
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The injury did not just sideline him for months – it also prevented him having a go at bettering his Hungry Hippos world record.
He cleared the game in the fastest ever time of 17.36 seconds back in 2018.
But back on the field, the ex-Manchester United youth star is out of contract at the end of the season.
Tuanzebe added: “This club has always been good in sorting things out in good time. I’m sure they’ll do that come the summer.”