Why Mason Greenwood will prove key to Manchester United’s summer – Man United News And Transfer News

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Mason Greenwood is set to place a crucial part in Manchester United’s summer plans without ever returning to Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old, currently on loan at La Liga side Getafe, is expected to be sold this summer, having left the club last summer in a spate of controversy.

The forward has not played for United since being suspended by the club following his arrest by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and assault in February 2022. He was subsequently charged in October of the same year with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour.

These charges were then discontinued in February 2023, with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stating: “A combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.” Greenwood has always denied these charges and described his “relief” at the time they were dropped.

United then launched an internal investigation into the matter as it was no longer a case governed by the legal system. This was led by Richard Arnold, the former Chief Executive at Old Trafford, and took over six months to conclude.

The Athletic leaked the initial findings of the investigation – deeming Greenwood innocent and containing plans to reintegrate the forward into Erik ten Hag’s squad – which was met with outrage from the public. As a result, United’s executive branch made a panicked decision to reverse their original plan in the face of widespread condemnation, instead announcing Greenwood would leave Old Trafford to resume his playing career elsewhere.

A hastily agreed loan deal to Getafe followed with the forward only completing the move in the final hours of the summer transfer window.

While it is not clear where Greenwood will play once this loan move expires at the end of the season, it is clear he will not be resuming his career in Manchester. United are believed to be planning his sale which, from a purely sporting perspective, will prove a huge boost to the club’s plans this summer.

As an academy graduate, any outbound fee received for Greenwood will be “purely classified as income” in Financial Fair Play reporting as there is no inbound fee to counter it. United never paid a fee to sign Greenwood, ensuring his eventual sale would constitute “instant profit.”

However, the 22-year-old will have twelve months remaining on his contract by July, though the club reserves the right to extend this by an additional year should they wish. Old Trafford officials are thought to be hesitant to do this, however, given the optics involved.

This will somewhat limit the club’s ability to command a fee commensurate with Greenwood’s talent. The forward is, realistically, a £100 million player on footballing ability alone; with the current situation factored in, United should be hoping to achieve 50% of this valuation.

His newly adopted side, Getafe, are reported to have already bid £40 million to convert his loan move into a permanent one. This was rejected by United, suggesting they may be expecting an even bigger offer come the summer.

A host of clubs in Spain are believed to be interested in Greenwood who even earned plaudits from Antoine Griezmann in a match against Atletico Madrid in December. The Frenchman described the English forward as “unstoppable” in a post-match interview.  United will be hopeful this assessment is mirrored in board rooms across La Liga, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all linked with potential moves for Greenwood.

Should United receive a transfer fee in excess of £40 million for the 22-year-old, it would provide a huge boost to the club’s spending powers this summer. And with the INEOS sporting team thought to be planning a comprehensive overhaul of the Old Trafford dressing room, every penny will prove vital come July.