Manchester United welcomed their first cohort of players back for pre-season on Monday morning as they got preparations underway for 2024/2025.
While there were no pictures of his arrival, fans were surprised to learn that Mason Greenwood had reported to the training complex along with the rest of the squad.
However, he did not get involved with training, nor did he spend any time with those at Carrington. Instead, the forward attended a short meeting with United executives to discuss his imminent exit from the club while they negotiate with potential suitors; Marseille are currently in pole position to sign Greenwood after submitting a £27 million bid yesterday.
What Greenwood was told by United chiefs
The Times has since revealed that the 22-year-old had ‘grown frustrated’ at the lack of clarity and assurances he’d received over his future, leading newly-appointed sporting director Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox to notify him that ‘there was no way back’ for him at Old Trafford.
A graduate of United’s academy, Greenwood has been at the club since he was six years old and therefore, any fee they recuperate from his sale will go down as straight profit and help balance the books in line with the Premier League’s financial restrictions.
His last outing as a Red was on January 22, 2022. Eight days later, he was arrested on suspicion of rape and assault before being charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in October 2022.
These charges were subsequently dropped in January 2023, but the sensitivity of the situation – understandably – made United fans hesitant to welcome him back at the club.
