Mason Greenwood felt the pinch of a demanding season with Manchester United as he told coaches he was ‘utterly exhausted’ after he was hauled off in a draw against Fulham before the Premier League campaign came to a close.
The 19-year-old withdrew from England’s European Championships squad on Monday morning, before manager Gareth Southgate had a chance to cut his preliminary squad to 26 members, with United citing an ‘underlying injury’ as reason for Greenwood’s omission.
For us, it’s great news because he will get the summer to rest before another important campaign for United. We’ll need him firing and ready if we are to start the season strongly, with Edinson Cavani set to lead the line next season after agreeing to extend his stay at Old Trafford by a further year.
The Uruguayan staying a further year also gives Greenwood and more of our young attackers another chance to learn from an elite professional, who has played at the top throughout his career and continues to do it at 34.
Greenwood had a slow start to the season and he managed to complete 90 minutes in the Premier League nine times over the campaign.
The side became more reliant on Greenwood towards the end of the season, with the striker featuring in 3 matches in 6 days (against Aston Villa, Leicester City and Liverpool).
United came runners-up in the Premier League and secured their spot against Fulham, with Greenwood starting the match and missing a good one-on-one opportunity in the second half. Sources have told The Athletic that he was ‘utterly exhausted’ at the time.
That could explain why Greenwood had to pull out of the England squad.
He will be a loss to Southgate’s side.
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