Mason Greenwood has accomplished his £30million transfer to Marseille from Manchester United.
Greenwood, 22, will hyperlink up with former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi after signing a contract with the French facet. The deal is value £27m plus £3.2m in add-ons.
The England worldwide had not performed for Man United since January 2022 and spent final season on mortgage at Getafe, scoring 10 targets and registering six assists on his approach to being named the membership’s participant of the season.
Greenwood was arrested that month and later charged with tried rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour in October 2022, however the fees and case have been dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew. Greenwood has denied any wrongdoing.
His potential transfer to France sparked a backlash from furious Marseille followers, who launched a #GreenwoodNotWelcome marketing campaign when he was initially linked with the membership.
Marseille have confirmed the signing of Mason Greenwood from Man United in a £30m deal
Greenwood had been given a heat welcome by followers when he arrived for his medical
However some supporters took to social media asking the French membership to not ‘betray its values’ by signing Greenwood
Marseille’s mayor Benoit Payan additionally opposed the transfer, saying he would foyer the membership’s president Pablo Longoria to name off the deal.
Greenwood, nonetheless, acquired a heat reception from followers when he arrived for his medical on Wednesday. Followers greeted the ahead with flares and chants of his identify as he waved to them on the airport.
His former membership confirmed the information on Thursday, sharing a short assertion which wished their former academy graduate ‘all the most effective in his future profession’.
Joey Barton is among the many others to have backed the transfer. ‘That could be a nice signing. This child deserves an opportunity to get on together with his profession,’ Barton, who spent a season on loan at Marseille in the 2012-13 campaign, wrote on X.
‘All of us make errors. No person’s good. England would have gained the Euros with this child within the facet.
‘He’s nearly as good a participant as any in that Euros squad. His behaviour and the general public fallout has massively affected his efficiency, but he went to a median staff in Spain and obtained himself again on monitor!
‘I hope Mason and his household discover peace and prosperity within the south of France. Be allowed to get on with their younger lives. And hopefully he can get the chance to atone for his errors.
Greenwood had fees of tried rape and assault in opposition to him dropped final yr
Greenwood returned to Carrington on Monday to talk with United chiefs about leaving. He has not performed for the Crimson Devils since January 2022, when the allegations got here out.
The costs in opposition to him have been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service following the withdrawal of key witnesses, however the membership continued its personal inner investigation right into a collection of harrowing photos and audio recordings.
In August 2023 it was introduced he would go away by mutual settlement after it was determined Greenwood ought to resume his profession away from United.
That got here regardless of the membership initially deciding to convey Greenwood again into the fold earlier than performing a u-turn following vital backlash.
Manchester United’s partial proprietor Sir Jim Ratcliffe had additionally left the door open to Greenwood returning after taking a 25 per cent stake within the membership final December.
‘It’s a recent choice,’ he mentioned regardless of the membership beforehand ruling out a return.
‘I can discuss in regards to the precept. I’m not going to speak about Mason. I’m aware of it. The precept is the vital one. We may have different points going forwards.
The ahead has not performed for Manchester United since 2022 when the allegations got here out and spent final season on mortgage at Getafe in Spain
‘You’re coping with younger individuals who haven’t at all times been introduced up in the most effective circumstances, who’ve some huge cash and so they don’t at all times have the steering they need to have.
‘What we have to do when have points like that’s perceive actual impacts not the hype then we have to make a good choice within the mild of the membership’s values. That’s what we have to do and that’s how we are going to cope with it.’
The sale of Greenwood, who made 129 appearances for United, boosts the membership’s switch kitty this summer season because the charge might be registered as pure revenue as a result of he got here by the academy.
United are set to signal highly-rated Lille defender Leny Yoro for £52m, whereas Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee has joined from Bologna in a £36.5m deal.
