Will Mason Greenwood return to Manchester United? Or is his time at the club now through? We won’t know for sure until the offseason, but according to the latest reports, it seems that the latter is much more likely. And it may not until be until pretty late in the summer that we learn his fate, because dragging your feet is the Manchester United way.
Think about all the overly tedious and needlessly protracted transfer sagas we’ve seen in recent years. Or how they let the ugliness with Cristiano Ronaldo drag on forever, before he finally forced their hand by airing his dirty laundry in public.
Or finding and determining the heir apparent to David de Gea. Or the current potential sale/takeover drama with the Glazers– that won’t see a resolution any time soon.
Indeed that is how they do things now at Old Trafford; in this era of The Glazer Family rule. Every single piece of business must have more plot twists and turns than an episode of the dramatic serial “Succession,” on HBO.
And so it will be with Mason Greenwood. If you want to debate whether or not he should stay at MUFC, then this post is not for you.
We are not going to get into optics, or legal issues right now. You’ve already seen those disturbing images, and heard that haunting audio, so your mind on that was probably already long made up before you got here.
We’re only looking at where the English forward could ply his trade next, if/when his days at the Theatre of Dreams are through.
? Italian and Turkish clubs are interested in signing Mason Greenwood this summer! ????
Juventus, AC Milan and AS Roma have all spoke to his representatives.
(Source: Sun Sport) pic.twitter.com/nT33FnPJ42
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 8, 2023
Italy, Serie A
According to the Sun, yesterday, three clubs in the Italian top flight have explored the possibility of signing Greenwood- Juventus, AC Milan and AS Roma. It’s really interesting that the first two clubs listed there are also reportedly interested in Christian Pulisic. Imagine if Juve or Milan sign both? More likely it would just be one or the other. On the third club, a reunion with Jose Mourinho is intriguing.
After all, he was the manager who handed the 21-year-old his first senior team appearance back in 2018.
Turkish Super Lig
In March, after Mason Greenwood saw the criminal case against him dropped, we learned that some clubs in Turkey had approached United with loan offers. Old Trafford rejected these offers due to their internal investigation of the player. And, like with everything else at United, this investigation is moving at a glacial pace.
If Turkey is the eventual destination for Greenwood, then Galatassary would have to be first on that list. They are the most successful, well known and richest club in the country. Although don’t rule out places like Istanbul Basaksehir, or Fenerbahce, the latter of which was a destination for another forward, Robin van Persie, once his time at United was up.
The Middle East or China
There are some very rich clubs in both China, and in the Middle East, most specifically Saudi Arabia, that will splash the cash on big name players. They don’t even care if said players are more infamous than famous, as they just want a box office draw. Really hate to use those mollifying cliches and buzzwords like “off the pitch issues” and “character concerns,” but there is no better way to describe the so-called “baggage” that accompanies Greenwood.
And if you’re looking for a club that will overlook such things, you’ll find them in China or Saudi Arabia.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.