Mason Greenwood 'could return to Manchester United side'

Respected journalist Jamie Jackson has claimed that there could be a route back into the Manchester United first team for Mason Greenwood.

In January 2022, following accusations from a woman, Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of rape and assault, and he was then further arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill.

The Englishman was also facing charges of attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but there is no longer a case against him.

Man United had allegedly made the decision to bring him back into the first team over the summer before changing their minds due to the public backlash.

The Red Devils announced in August that Greenwood would be leaving the club, but rather than departing on a permanent basis over the summer, he made the move to La Liga outfit Getafe on loan in the final stages of the window.

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Greenwood still has a contract at Old Trafford until June 2025, and as it stands, he will be heading back to Man United next summer.

The forward is not expected to represent the Red Devils again, but The Guardian journalist Jackson believes that there is a small chance Greenwood could be brought back into the side.

"I do think there is a way he comes back to Manchester United," Jackson said on the Stretford Paddock podcast. "The language used at the time both on and off the record – 'he's not expected to play for United again'.

"I'm not saying it will happen, and I think all hell would break loose if it did. I do know that they think he's the best player there. Better than Bruno [Fernandes]. That's what's been so difficult on the football side.

"They not only said they are convinced he's innocent, but also that they want to help restart his career. I do see a scenario [where he returns]. I don't necessarily think it will happen but football is crazy.

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"These sort of elite talents are difficult [to come by], he's home-grown, but they did make a bodge of the process, it took too long.

"If he was 100% never going to play for them again I think they would have made that clear. Maybe [Richard] Arnold's being advised, and I don't know who's advising him because that statement isn't great, to not completely write this off.

"When the charges were dropped and they were doing the internal review, I was told that the football side – John Murtough and Erik ten Hag – wanted him back.

"If you look back at the summer maybe Ten Hag thought [Rasmus] Hojlund is great because we're going to have Greenwood as his number one."

Greenwood has scored one goal and registered one assist in five appearances for Getafe this season, while the forward has 35 goals and 12 assists in 129 matches for Man United, with his last outing for the English giants coming against West Ham United in January 2022.