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Football clubs can always sniff out a bargain even if there are strings attached and the stampede to sign Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood this summer is gathering pace by the minute.
Before a fall from grace due to unproven charges of rape and assault two years ago, Greenwood was valued at €50 million by transfermarkt.com, with his likely transfer fee expected to rocket beyond even that heady valuation.
However, his market value plummeted and despite a successful rebuild season on loan at Getafe, it has only recovered to €15 million – although, again, the real value would likely be somewhat higher.
Source: transfermarkt.com
Getafe have made no secret of the fact they would like to take the player on loan again but due to PSR (profit and sustainability rules) restrictions, United are said to be more keen to sell.
According to The Mirror, Napoli, Juventus and Lazio are all keen on taking the United academy product to Serie A, with the Spanish side also willing to try that route if the price is right.
Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona have ruled themselves out of the race, according to the outlet.
The Times’ Martin Samuel, meanwhile, claims that Atletico Madrid also remain in the running for Greenwood’s signature – although transfer guru Fabrizio Romano refutes this – and that “there are apparently even some suitors in our Premier League, although they are lying low for the moment.”
In contrast to other reports and comments by Sir Jim Ratciffe, Samuel also believes that United will not consider keeping the 22 year old. The reporter suggests United’s stance is hypocritical, saying “And that has always been the strangest element of the Greenwood narrative. That the club which should take responsibility for the man they helped produce is allowed to wash their hands and bank the product.”
Samuel’s argument is that if morally and ethically, United deem Greenwood to be persona non grata, then profiting from his sale would essentially constitute blood money.
The only truly ethical alternative, he argues, is to loan him out until his contract expires and then allow him to leave on a free.
Whatever United decide to do, there would certainly appear to be no shortage of suitors for a player who was once United’s golden child.
Greenwood himself is said to be keen to stay at Getafe but with finances severely stretched, this seems an unlikely outcome this summer.
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