Mason Greenwood has completed his £30million move to Marseille from Manchester United.
Greenwood, 22, will link up with former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi after signing a contract with the French side. The deal is worth £27m plus £3.2m in add-ons.
The England international had not played for Man United since January 2022 and spent last season on loan at Getafe, scoring 10 goals and registering six assists on his way to being named the club’s player of the season.
Greenwood was arrested that month and later charged with attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour in October 2022, but the charges and case were dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew. Greenwood has denied any wrongdoing.
His potential move to France sparked a backlash from livid Marseille fans, who launched a #GreenwoodNotWelcome campaign when he was initially linked with the club.
Marseille have confirmed the signing of Mason Greenwood from Man United in a £30m deal
Greenwood had been given a warm welcome by fans when he arrived for his medical
But some supporters took to social media asking the French club to not ‘betray its values’ by signing Greenwood
Marseille’s mayor Benoit Payan also opposed the move, saying he would lobby the club’s president Pablo Longoria to call off the deal.
Greenwood, however, received a warm reception from fans when he arrived for his medical on Wednesday. Fans greeted the forward with flares and chants of his name as he waved to them at the airport.
His former club confirmed the news on Thursday, sharing a brief statement which wished their former academy graduate ‘all the best in his future career’.
Joey Barton is among the others to have backed the move. ‘That is a great signing. This kid deserves a chance to get on with his career,’ Barton, who spent a season on loan at Marseille in the 2012-13 campaign, wrote on X.
‘We all make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. England would have won the Euros with this kid in the side.
‘He’s as good a player as any in that Euros squad. His behaviour and the public fallout has massively affected his performance, yet he went to an average team in Spain and got himself back on track!
‘I hope Mason and his family find peace and prosperity in the south of France. Be allowed to get on with their young lives. And hopefully he can get the opportunity to atone for his errors.
Greenwood had charges of attempted rape and assault against him dropped last year