Premier League • England
Mason Greenwood is to leave Manchester United
Mason Greenwood could soon be presented with a new transfer opportunity with reports claiming that talks over a move to Turkish side Besiktas have begun for the soon-to-be-leaving Manchester United forward.
The 21-year-old has not played for the Red Devils since January 2022, when he helped United secure a 1-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford. Having been arrested for a series of serious sexual charges, including attempted rape, controlling behaviour and assault, the player was suspended on full pay, pending a Crown Court trial.
Those charges, however, were ultimately dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February of this year following the withdrawal of a key witness. That left Greenwood, in theory at least, free to resume his football career.
However, United decided to hold an internal review into the player’s conduct, keeping him on full-paid leave and asking him not to return to their training complex.
Some six months later, United announced the results of those findings with it decided that Greenwood would leave United and continue his career elsewhere. A very public outcry at United’s initial plan to integrate him back into the squad, with many public figures speaking out, seemingly forcing the decision.
With Greenwood releasing a statement of his own, United will now try and facilitate a move for the player elsewhere.
Since then, the once-capped England man has been linked with a few moves, with both Roma and Al-Ettifaq rapidly dismissing speculation suggesting they were considering an approach.
With options dwindling, Greenwood was over the weekend touted for a lowly move to Albania, with the Bradford-born player told cruelly told ‘he won’t bounce back’.
The Albanian league is ranked 47th of UEFA’s 55 registered top-flight divisions. They have just one side, Partizani, competing in Europe.
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The Albanian league has been compared to as being akin to the fifth tier in English football. For obvious, Greenwood would prefer to avoid such a move if other options opened up.
Now, however, a potential move to Besiktas could be on the cards, according to Sabah Spor.
They claim the Turkish giants have opened talks with representatives close to the player to ascertain if the move would be of interest and of the possibility of a potential deal.
Further enquiries have seen Besiktas trying to discover what level of fitness the Greenwood is currently at, having not played a competitive game of football for 19 months.
But if all the boxes are ticked, then a move to bring Greenwood to Istanbul could get the greenlight.
To boost Greenwood’s prospects, the Turkish transfer window does not officially close for business until September 15. That still gives Besiktas well over two weeks to push through the transfer if they feel a move for Greenwood is worth pursuing.
United boss Erik ten Hag has persistently refused to discuss Greenwood’s future when questioned in recent weeks.
He said: “I only have statements about our performance. I have a lot of focus on my team so I focus on the players who are available.”
Greenwood has been with United since the age of six, and has played 129 times since making his debut at the age of 17 back in 2018. He has 35 goals and 12 assists during that time.
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