Mason Greenwood is not giving up on his career with Manchester United, as he issued a 19-word statement following his temporary move to LaLiga’s Getafe for the season.
The 21-year-old’s exit from Old Trafford came after a comprehensive six-month investigation led by CEO Richard Arnold. This investigation began after Greenwood’s arrest in January 2022 on charges of attempted rape, controlling behaviour, and assault.
Although the Crown Prosecution Service later dropped the charges due to the withdrawal of a key witness, Manchester United chose to steer Greenwood’s career away from their squad.
Initially, Greenwood faced reluctance from various clubs for his acquisition, with even Premier League teams opting out, presumably out of caution. Eventually, the scramble for his services escalated.
While Lazio led the charge but failed to secure him, Besiktas also made attempts. Ultimately, Getafe won the bid and took Greenwood on a season-long loan, offering him a chance to rehabilitate his career.
Details regarding his LaLiga transfer reveal that Getafe is shouldering only £25,000 of Greenwood’s £75,000 weekly wages.
On Monday, speculations arose about the possibility of a contract extension with Manchester United, whose current contract with the forward is set to expire in 2025.
A report from The Sun highlighted that Greenwood does not accept that his Manchester United career has reached its conclusion.
Though the club has publicly stated it’s in his best interests to continue his career elsewhere, Greenwood’s contract with the Red Devils still runs until the summer of 2025.
Before the incident that led to his arrest, Greenwood was evaluated as a £50m asset. Manchester United is therefore not ready to completely sever ties with him, as evidenced by the loan deal.
In summary, while it’s still unclear if Greenwood will ever don the United jersey again, the loan to Spain at least provides an opportunity for some level of redemption.
The player remains optimistic that a strong performance in LaLiga, along with some reputation repair, might pave the way for a return to Old Trafford as early as the summer of 2024.
