New Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has announced that the club will make a fresh decision regarding the future of academy graduate Mason Greenwood this summer.
The 22-year-old faced scrutiny after the United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) opened a case against him for attempted rape, assault and coercive control of his girlfriend.
Greenwood denied the allegations and she refused to back the case against him. The case was dropped.
United held their internal investigation and planned to bring him back into the first-team fold before abandoning the idea following backlash. They subsequently sent him on loan to Getafe.
Greenwood has impressed in Spain, bagging seven goals and five assists in 24 appearances in all competitions. United could use his services on the right flank, where Antony has continued to be unproductive.
Asked if the club would make a fresh decision regarding Greenwood’s future following the ratification of his 25% stake at the club, Ratcliffe threw a possible lifeline to the young attacker.
“Yes, absolutely,” Ratcliffe replied (via The Athletic). “We will make a decision, and we will justify it.”
“He’s a Manchester United footballer, so we are in charge of football.
“So, the answer is yes, we have to make decisions. It’s quite clear we have to make a decision. There is no decision that’s been made.
“He’s on loan obviously, but he’s not the only one. We’ve got one or two footballers that we have to deal with, and we have to make a decision, so we will do that.
“The process will be – understand the facts, not the hype, and then try and come to a fair decision on the basis of values, which is basically is he a good guy or not, and answer could he play sincerely for Manchester United well and would we be comfortable with it and would the fans be comfortable with it?”
Greenwood’s future is delicately poised as Ratcliffe takes the reins at United. His impressive loan spell at Getafe suggests the talent is still there, but the shadow of his past allegations cannot be ignored.
Ratcliffe’s words hint at a thorough, values-driven approach.
Ultimately, the decision will hinge on two key questions – can Greenwood demonstrate personal reformation, and would his return resonate with the fans and align with the club’s values?
For Greenwood, this summer holds the potential for a fresh start, a second chance or a permanent move away from Old Trafford.
