Manchester United has declared that Mason Greenwood will be departing from the team following an internal inquiry into allegations involving attempted rape, coercive behavior, and assault made against him.
The 22-year-old, who was detained in January 2022 on suspicion of various offenses, including attempted rape, will not participate in future matches for the club. Instead, he is likely to leave temporarily on loan or settle his contract.
The young forward will part ways with the club after both sides acknowledged the challenges of his resuming his career at Manchester United.
The club’s statement mentioned, “All parties involved, including Mason, acknowledge the challenges associated with his return to Manchester United. Therefore, it has been mutually agreed that a more suitable option would be for him to continue his career away from Old Trafford, and we will collaborate with Mason to facilitate this outcome.”
Greenwood, who emerged from Manchester United’s youth system, was suspended from club activities during the internal investigation, which took place after the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued legal proceedings against him.
The CPS stated in February, “In this instance, a combination of key witnesses retracting their statements and the emergence of new evidence led to the impracticality of securing a conviction.”
Having last played for the club on January 22, 2022, Greenwood’s association with Manchester United concludes. He has represented England on one occasion at the senior level, participating in a Nations League match against Iceland in September 2020.
Richard Arnold, CEO of Man Utd, also indicated that there were prior considerations and plans for reintegrating Greenwood into the first team. This follows reports from earlier this month suggesting that the club’s senior personnel had been informed about the possibility of his return.
“Reintegration was one of the outcomes we considered and planned for,” Arnold said. “For context, over the course of the past six months several outcomes have been contemplated and planned for, and my view has evolved as our process progressed. While the ultimate decision rested with me, I was taking various factors and views into account right up until the point of finalising my decision.”
Greenwood has been linked to a number of clubs this summer, most notably, Serie A side Atalanta. There were also suggestions he could be used as a makeweight as part of United’s bid to sign Rasmus Hojlund from the Serie ‘A’ outfit before the Danish striker completed his £72m move.
