Manchester United has announced that Mason Greenwood will be sent on loan to Getafe for the 2023/24 season, signaling that he will not be part of the Premier League club’s squad for the upcoming season.
Getafe’s sporting director has defended the club’s decision to sign Mason Greenwood on a season-long loan from Manchester United.
Greenwood, 21, had not played since being arrested in January 2022, but the charges against him were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February. United announced his departure in August, and Getafe signed him on deadline day.
Mason Greenwood has signed for Getafe
While the details of the loan deal suggest United is still covering most of his wages, Getafe’s sporting director has stated that Greenwood will be with the club for the entire season.
Getafe’s decision to sign Mason Greenwood on loan has indeed generated criticism, with some fans expressing disappointment in the club’s choice to provide him with an opportunity in top-flight football. Additionally, fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the club’s social media activity, where they have described Greenwood as an “incredible talent” and a “star boy.” This reflects the mixed reactions and opinions surrounding the transfer and the player’s past controversies.
Yet Getafe’s sporting director Ruben Reyes believes the transfer is “just the same” as any other. He told reporters: “We did what we do – sign players that are available to sign. There is no need for us to handle anything (off the pitch).
Greenwood hasn’t played for 20 months
“We have signed a footballer who is just the same as (fellow signings) Diego Rico and Oscar Rodriguez, and that’s it. We have to do our job, and that’s what we focus on.”
Reyes added: “It is a year’s loan. It’s very difficult to get an option to buy on a player (like him). He will be here all season. There are internal discussions, but those are small details that we try not to share. They appreciated the effort, how convinced we were.
“We’re very excited with him. He was a player that we knew was out there. We worked on it, gathered information and bit by bit we saw that there could be a possibility. We spoke to his family, to his dad, to his people for a long time.
“We were able to convince him to come here, to trust in us. We’re satisfied. He plays very free, as if he was on a school playground. He has a very high level. We dreamed that we could bring him here, and sometimes that gets fulfilled.”
Mason Greenwood, who has earned one senior cap for the England national team, boasts an impressive record with 35 goals in 129 appearances for Manchester United. He has been recognized as a talent to watch, having been nominated for the Golden Boy award. In the 2019/20 season, he showcased his goal-scoring prowess by netting 17 goals, demonstrating his ability to perform at the highest level of the game.
It remains uncertain how match-fit Mason Greenwood will be after being away from competitive football for nearly 20 months. However, Greenwood has expressed his commitment to regaining his form, stating that he has been training for approximately four to five months to regain his pace. He also mentioned that he recently participated in a training session with his new teammates, which suggests that he is making progress towards returning to full match fitness.
