Mason Greenwood has signed for Getafe on loan from Manchester United
Mason Greenwood refuses to accept his Manchester United career is over after the forward offered a 19-word statement following his season-long loan move to LaLiga side Getafe.
The 21-year-old forward has moved to the Madrid-based club for the season after United decided a playing return at Old Trafford was not on the agenda. That decision arrived following a lengthy six-month investigation, led by chief executive Richard Arnold, into the player following his arrest for attempted rape, controlling behaviour and assault in January 2022.
And while those charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service following the withdrawal of the key witness, it was decided by United – following a string of public condemnation led by our own Football365 – that Greenwood should continue his career elsewhere.
That charge was led by Lazio, who were ultimately left disappointed, while Besiktas also did their best to seal his signing. In the end, it was Getafe who sealed his signing on a season’s loan, with the move to LaLiga seen as Greenwood’s best bet at getting his career back on track.
To that end, plenty has been written about the arrangement Getafe have struck to bring the Bradford-born forward to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. The LaLiga side are reportedly covering just £25,000 of Greenwood’s £75,000 a week contract.
And on Monday it was claimed that the prospect of a new deal at Old Trafford – currently due to expire in 2025 – were a possibility.
Mason Greenwood Getafe shirt No revealed as player releases video
Regardless of what the future holds, Greenwood is now seemingly ready to get his career back on track in Spain.
United have pledged to do their best in helping him settle into his new surroundings, while the the LaLiga side have also been running something of a charm offensive around the player on their social media channels.
On Tuesday lunchtime, the player took to the field for Getafe for the first time, taking part in an open training sessions with a handful of their supporters and the local media in attendance.
Prior to taking the field, Getafe revealed that Greenwood has been allocated the No 12 shirt at the LaLiga side. And with his registration complete, the once-capped England star could be eligible to make his debut for his new side in the clash against Osasuna on Sunday September 17.
Meanwhile, the player has spoken publicly about his move for the first time, releasing a 19-word statement on the social media platform X.
In the video message, Greenwood stated: “Hi Getafe fans, it’s Mason here. I’m so happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started.”
Getafe boss Jose Bordalas has also recently addressed the signing of Greenwood, saying at the weekend: “It is a very delicate situation to trivialise that issue.
The Mason𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 🫶💙
💫 @masongreenwood pic.twitter.com/pcr1yKtyZe
— Getafe C.F. English (@GetafeCFen) September 5, 2023
“Everyone knows what happened and appropriate measures were taken. Everyone knows how it ended, with a non-convictory sentence.
“He is a footballer of a very high level and arrives at Getafe with enormous enthusiasm.”
Bordalas added: “We all know the potential he has. He is a very young boy and we hope that he adapts to a very different League. Surely he wants to recover his professional status and Getafe can help him in that sense.”
Greenwood hopes to salvage Man Utd career
Meanwhile, a report in The Sun claims Greenwood is refusing to accept his Manchester United career is over.
And while the club has publicly declared it is in the best interests that he continues his career elsewhere, he remains under contract at Old Trafford until summer 2025.
Before his arrest and at his peak, Greenwood will have been considered a £50m asset. As a result, the club are not prepared, as illusrated by the loan, to turn their back on the player entirely.
Ultimately, it may well be decided that Greenwood will never again play for United again. But what the season in Spain can do is at the least give the player the chance of earning some redemption.
As a result, the player claims the 21-year-old is refusing to accept, at this stage, that his time as a Red Devils player is over for good. And he believes a good season in Spain, together with a partial restoration of his reputation, could yet open the door on his ultimate dream of making a comeback for the club from summer 2024.
