Mason Greenwood has ended his season-long loan at Getafe CF. Since the club won’t be extending his loan spell, it’s time to return to Manchester United.
With an underperforming and misfiring attack, Greenwood’s lethal finishing will definitely bolster United’s attack.
But at what cost?
How will the fans react to his return? How will women at the club feel about someone with his history representing the badge?
I think Mason Greenwood’s time at Manchester United, and in the English top flight, is done.
Here is why.
He was never proven innocent
Greenwood’s case played out in public — we all heard the audio recordings, we saw the bruises.
Regardless of the court’s decision to drop the case, those harrowing audio recordings and images have been etched into our collective consciousness.
So, in the court of public opinion, he will never be innocent unless the alleged victim makes a public statement recanting her version of events.
Besides, Mason Greenwood has yet to apologise or categorically deny being the person in the recording.
I am not declaring him guilty — I just think claims of his innocence don’t carry any water.
It would be an insult to Manchester United’s women
Greenwood’s presence in the United dressing room would ruffle feathers amongst the women associated with the club.
I doubt the women’s team would stand behind someone with the dark clouds of sexual assault and domestic abuse hovering over them.
Apart from that, any time he puts on the United shirt, it would be a slap in the face to every abused woman who watches the team.
The new owners won’t risk their reputation
The club’s initial handling of the Greenwood debacle was shameful.
After an ill-advised internal investigation, the club deemed Greenwood innocent of the charges.
I don’t know what evidence they discovered, but the police contradicted this conclusion.
Manchester United legend Gary Neville criticized the club’s lack of transparency with such a highly publicised event. He questioned the integrity of the process.
With that in mind, the owners would prefer to start with a clean slate by discarding the skeletons of the old regime—Greenwood is the biggest skeleton.
Half of the squad need to leave. The facilities need a complete overhaul. And the FC Hollywood culture needs a complete shake-up.
All eyes are on INEOS to see how they put down the marker, starting with the Mason Greenwood situation.
Although Sir Jim Ratcliffe has kept his cards hidden, backroom rumblings indicate a possible loan move or permanent transfer for Mason Greenwood.
“The process will be: understand the facts, not the hype…and answer could he play sincerely for Manchester United well and would we be comfortable with it and would the fans be comfortable with it.”
If United can get Mason Greenwood off the books, they’d be curry favour from a majority of the fanbase.
At the moment of writing this article, Mason Greenwood is on the retained list for the 2024/2025 season.
Fair to point out that he was included in the squad list before the concluded 2023/2024 season but still had to leave on loan.
Will he be part of the squad in the coming season? Time will tell.
The club already has to deal with the Jadon Sancho and Brandon Williams situations.
Manchester United fans won’t back him
Fans from cultures with a higher tolerance for Greenwood’s behaviour have been way more lenient.
On social media, compilations of Mason Greenwood’s highlights usually attract comments about this “star boy” that Manchester United needs.
To be fair, these people are the excruciatingly vocal minority — most Manchester United fans want Mason Greenwood out of the club.
They acknowledge his goalscoring prowess, but no talent is worth having morally reprehensible people as the face of your club.
If English fans are up in arms about Kurt Zouma kicking his cat, imagine the uproar if Greenwood plays for the Red Devils again.
So how is Greenwood’s case different from Antony’s?
For starters, Antony conducted an interview denying the charges—the accusations are more like “he said, she said” conflicting reports. The other two charges are still in full swing.
If Antony is found guilty, his time in England would be over as well.
Other cultures will be more forgiving
Getafe’s decision to sign Greenwood on loan was a relief for the player and the Manchester United hierarchy. It bought the club management time to decide the best course of action.
Although fans in Spain are leading “Greenword die” chants whenever he takes the pitch, the support from Getafe means he might have found a home with the Madrid club.
The whole Sadar Stadium home of Osasuna in Navarra chanting "Greenwood die"
— MK (@Mklavsi) January 22, 2024
📽️: Movistar Plus@TheAthletic pic.twitter.com/OIHBpLxijf
However, his loan move ended despite winning Getafe’s Player of the Season award. The club might not be able to afford him long-term.
Recent rumours indicate interest from Italian clubs — Napoli is top of the list. If Mason Greenwood is looking to upgrade from Getafe, Naples doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
If European teams don’t want him around, I’m sure he’ll find home in South America or Saudi Arabia.
But as far as Manchester United is concerned, Mason Greenwood should never wear the club’s shirt.
Who wrote this?
Ugo is a sports enthusiast with an undying love for underdog stories.
