Manchester United have been criticised for profiting from the sale of Mason Greenwood and have been urged to donate their proceeds to women’s charities.
Greenwood, 22, sealed a £30million deal with the Ligue 1 club this week after undergoing a medical and signing his contract, ending his long-running saga with Man United.
The forward spent last season on loan at LaLiga side Getafe and has not played for United since being arrested in January 2022.
Nine months later, he was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour. However, the charges and the case were dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew.
Greenwood has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Mason Greenwood completed a £30m move from Manchester United to Marseille this week
Manchester United have been criticised for profiteering from the sale and have been urged to donate the money raised to women’s charities. Pictured: minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right)
His move to Ligue 1 has sparked protests from fans, with Marseille mayor Benoit Payan warning against the move, branding Greenwood a “disgrace”.
And now anti-domestic abuse campaigner David Challen has added his voice to those criticising the move, insisting the Red Devils should have been involved with women’s charities and urging the club to donate the profits made from their academy graduate.
“Manchester United is a huge global sports club that rakes in hundreds of millions a year,” he said. I told him
“And the fact that they didn’t release a player, which they could have done quite easily, and decided to keep him for their own financial needs, really prioritizes the financial needs of the company over those of the women.
‘It just seems like the club doesn’t care, even on a basic level, about women and girls.
‘They didn’t even contact women’s charities until the last minute, the fact that they can’t donate to one of those charities or maybe a charity in the local area, is unfortunate, especially for a club the size of Man Utd.
“Services nationwide are crippled and need funding, even in the local area. It’s astonishing, but unfortunately not surprising, because they had the opportunity to free it up, but they didn’t.”
Greenwood will join former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi at Marseille this season
Hundreds of supporters had gathered to greet Greenwood after he landed in France on Wednesday evening, but the Marseille fanbase is divided, with #GreenwoodNotWelcome and #GreenwoodWelcome both trending on X.
Speaking after his unveiling in Marseille, the striker, who scored 10 goals in 36 appearances for Getafe last season, insisted he has put the past behind him and is looking to the future with his partner and daughter.
He He told La Provence: ‘Of course I am aware of this debate and I understand the question. I do not want to get into any controversy. I already had the opportunity to express myself on this subject last year.
‘My partner and I rebuilt ourselves together as a couple. We just spent a year in Madrid. We’ve been together since we were 15, 16.
“I am now looking to the future and I am only focused on Olympique de Marseille and our new life together in Marseille.”
Greenwood could play his first game in England in more than two years this summer as part of Marseille’s pre-season schedule.
Meanwhile, his unofficial debut could come on Sunday, when his new club plays Nimes in its first friendly.
The 22-year-old had not played for United since he was arrested in January 2022.
On August 3, Marseille travel to Valley Parade in their hometown of Bradford to face Sunderland in their penultimate game.
If Greenwood does feature, it will be his first appearance in a public match in England in two years, six months and 12 days.
Greenwood made 129 appearances in total for United, scoring 35 goals.
