Marseille have agreed a deal with Manchester United to land Mason Greenwood, though the move is subject to the attacker’s approval.
Greenwood spent last season on loan at Getafe and the 22-year-old impressed in Spain, racking up eight goals and six assists in La Liga which earned him the club’s player-of-the-year award.
He has not featured for United since his arrest in January 2022 for attempted rape, controlling behaviour and assault – charges that were subsequently dropped.
A host of top clubs from around Europe have been monitoring Greenwood’s situation this summer, with the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Napoli all credited with an interest.
But Marseille have stepped up their pursuit in recent days and appear on the verge of winning the race for the England international.
According to The Athletic, the agreement would see Marseille pay the Red Devils a fee of €31.6million (£26.7m) – comprising €27.6m (£23.3m) fixed and €4m (£3.4m) in add-ons – as well as a sizeable share of any future sale.
Greenwood is yet to agree personal terms with the Marseille, though, and the Ligue 1 outfit will now look to finalise a deal with the United academy product and his entourage.
The young forward would join forces in southern France with Roberto De Zerbi, who left Brighton at the end of last season before taking over the reins as Marseille’s new head coach last month.
Greenwood’s current contract at Old Trafford runs through to the summer of 2025.
United’s co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, had previously suggested that Greenwood could still have a future at the Theatre of Dreams.
Quizzed on a potential move for Greenwood at his first press conference as Marseille’s manager on Tuesday, De Zerbi told reporters: ‘He has not been recruited so there is not much to say. He is a champion, an international-level player.
‘I don’t know his past, I don’t know exactly what happened. I don’t like to interfere in the private lives of players.
‘The only thing I can say is that when a player signs for the club where I work, I consider him as my child.
‘I protect him through thick and thin, even if I can pull his ear in private, I will defend him publicly. My players are like my sons.’
Marseille president, Pablo Longoria, meanwhile, stressed that all incoming players must share the club’s ‘values’ when asked whether he had concerns about Greenwood’s potential arrival.
‘For a year and a half we have put in place a social programme among the strongest in Europe and it was a personal idea that Marseille would be invested in all the subjects where football has a place – in education, in women’s football, the work of the foundation,’ Longoria said.
‘What is certain is that no matter which player comes to Marseille, he must share our values and the ones we want to have in common with society.
‘At Marseille, there is no religion, no social class, we want Marseille to be a vector of social unity and for all players to share this vision. We want people with values and good people.’
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