The mayor of Marseille has publicly urged the city’s football club not to sign Mason Greenwood from Manchester United, emphasizing that he does not want the club “shamed by someone who hits his wife.”
This follows an accepted bid of approximately £27m for the Manchester United forward.
Greenwood, who has not played for Manchester United since his arrest in January 2022 on allegations of attempted rape, assault, and coercive behavior, spent the last season on loan at Getafe. After the charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service and Manchester United conducted an internal investigation, he impressed at Getafe by scoring 10 goals and winning the club’s Player of the Season award, which attracted interest from Marseille.
New Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi, formerly of Brighton, has expressed his intent to “publicly defend” Greenwood if he joins the club despite the controversy surrounding his potential move.
However, Benoit Payan, the left-wing mayor of Marseille, has opposed the signing, labeling the alleged charges as “unspeakable and unacceptable.”
In an interview with RMC Sport, Payan stated: “Greenwood’s behavior is unspeakable and unacceptable. Hitting his wife… I saw images that deeply shocked me. Abusing his wife in this manner is unbecoming of a man, and he cannot have a place on this team.
“The values of OM and Marseille are the complete opposite. It’s a disgrace. I will ask Pablo Longoria not to recruit Greenwood. I don’t want my club to be associated with the shame of someone who hits his wife.
“Olympique de Marseille is more than a club. It is a spirit, and there is no place for those who behave in this way, for those who commit such crimes and offenses. It is unbearable. I cannot imagine for a second that Pablo Longoria would make this major mistake.”
Greenwood, who has continually denied any wrongdoing, said in a statement upon leaving Manchester United last August: “I understand that people will judge me because of what they have seen and heard on social media, and I know people will think the worst.
“I was brought up to know that violence or abuse in any relationship is wrong. I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February, I was cleared of all charges.
“However, I fully accept that I made mistakes in my relationship and take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the social media post.”
After concluding their internal probe, Manchester United’s statement read: “The club has concluded its internal investigation into the allegations made against Mason Greenwood.
“Our process commenced in February 2023, following all charges against Mason being dropped. Throughout, we have taken into account the wishes, rights, and perspective of the alleged victim along with the club’s standards and values, and sought to collate as much information and context as possible.
“This required us to proceed with sensitivity and care to obtain evidence not in the public domain, including from those with direct knowledge of the case.
“Based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offenses for which he was originally charged. That said, as Mason publicly acknowledges today, he has made mistakes for which he is taking responsibility.
“All those involved, including Mason, recognize the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United. It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford, and we will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome.”
