Mason Greenwood will no longer play for Manchester United. The English record champions made the announcement on Monday. It follows an internal investigation after charges of attempted rape against the 21-year-old were dropped. According to reports, the club had initially planned for him to return.
All parties involved, including Greenwood, had seen the difficulties that resuming his career at Manchester United would have caused. It was therefore jointly concluded that it was “most appropriate” for Greenwood to continue his career away from Old Trafford, it said in a statement on Monday afternoon. “We will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome.”
The statement is the result of a long and thorough investigation begun by the club after charges against Greenwood, including attempted rape, were surprisingly dropped in February 2023 because there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”. “During the process, we took into account the wishes, rights and views of the alleged victim as well as the standards and values of the club,” the club said.
“Based on the evidence before us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not represent the full facts of the case and that Mason did not commit the offences with which he was originally charged,” the statement continued. “Notwithstanding this, Mason today publicly admits that he has made mistakes for which he accepts responsibility.” Greenwood himself also stressed in a statement. “I accept that I have made mistakes in my relationship and take my share of responsibility for the situations that led to the social media post,” it reads. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.
According to “The Athletic”, United had actually planned Greenwood’s return
The club had been threatened with a rift over the Greenwood case, divided on the issue at various levels. Last Wednesday, The Athletic reported that United’s chief executive Richard Arnold had informed the club’s governing bodies of Greenwood’s impending return to the English record champions’ squad in early August. According to the report, the decision was to be explained via video message on 4 August.
The club reacted with an official denial. However, the storm of protest that the report caused – both publicly and within the club – has now apparently made United rethink. According to “The Athletic”, apparently well supplied with internal information, there was an emergency meeting on Friday. According to the internet portal, club employees are said to have considered resigning or going on strike in the event of Greenwood’s return. Publicly, a possible return has been strongly criticised, including by several members of the English Parliament.
Fan protests at stadium – hate comments against United players
Before the first home game of the season, a 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers last Monday, there had been expressions of protest outside Old Trafford and inside the stadium. “Female Fans Demand No Greenwood Return – End Violence Against Women” was written on a banner held up by female United fans.
But there were other supporters who had been drumming up support for Greenwood’s return for some time, especially on social media, and regularly trending the hashtag MasonGreenwood whenever United had goal-scoring problems. When it was announced that the players of United’s women’s team would have to agree to Greenwood’s return, the profiles of England internationals Mary Earps, Katie Zelem and Ella Toone, who were at the World Cup in Australia, were flooded with comments. Much of it intimidating, threatening, insulting.
Greenwood’s lucrative contract runs until the summer of 2025, and in the time since he was released by the club he has drawn the full salary of a rumoured £75,000 a week. The attacker last appeared for the club, which he joined at the age of seven, on 22 January 2022 in a 1-0 defeat to West Ham United.
