Mason Greenwood, the Manchester United striker, has started his pre-season training early on a £100-an-hour plastic pitch. On Friday, he was seen training under the watchful eye of his agent father, along with former United teammate Shola Shoretire, in Manchester. Greenwood, wearing a Jamaica national shirt, still doesn’t know where he will be playing next season.
After returning to Old Trafford from a loan spell with La Liga club Getafe, where he scored ten goals and registered six assists in 36 appearances, Greenwood won Player of the Year. Getafe president Angel Torres expressed a desire to have Greenwood back at Estadio Coliseum this summer. He mentioned that if it were up to Greenwood and his family, they would be happy to continue another year at Getafe. However, Manchester United might prefer to sell him if a good offer comes in, as it seems unlikely Greenwood will return to play at Old Trafford.
Future after Manchester United
Despite Getafe's interest in keeping Greenwood, the Spanish club may struggle to afford him. Other European clubs, including Marseille and Lazio, have shown interest in signing the player. United is asking for around £34 million for their academy graduate.
Greenwood, 22, is not expected to join his Manchester United teammates, including Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, at the Carrington training base for the first day of pre-season training. His future remains uncertain as United ruled that he would leave the club to continue his career elsewhere after charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive behavior were dropped by the CPS last year.
Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 following allegations of attempted rape and assault. Although the charges were dropped, United conducted an internal review and decided that Greenwood should play his trade away from Old Trafford. This decision has left Greenwood's future hanging in the balance.
United’s new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has suggested that the club might reconsider bringing Greenwood back, stating that it needed to make a “fresh decision.” This opens a small possibility for Greenwood's return, but it remains unclear what the final decision will be.
Greenwood is still on Manchester United’s list of retained players. His contract at Old Trafford runs until 2025, with the club having the option to extend it by another 12 months. Despite this, considering the circumstances and the club's stance on his future, it seems more likely that Greenwood will continue his career away from Manchester.
As Greenwood continues his training, the situation remains fluid. Several European clubs are closely monitoring the situation, and his performance during his loan spell at Getafe has certainly kept his profile high. The decision about his future is likely to involve many factors, including financial offers from interested clubs, Greenwood's personal preferences, and Manchester United’s long-term plans.
Greenwood's future with Manchester United remains uncertain. While he has started his pre-season training independently, his return to Old Trafford seems unlikely. Getafe would like to have him back, but financial constraints may prevent this. Other European clubs are interested, and United's asking price of £34 million could be a deciding factor in his next move. As the situation unfolds, it will be interesting to see where Greenwood ends up playing next season. The football world is watching closely, and the young striker's next steps could shape the future of his career significantly.