By the second weekend of August, before the start of the Premier League season, Manchester United are expected to make clear their final decision on Mason Greenwood.
That is according to The Athletic, who note that five months have passed since the charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive control against the player were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
United’s own internal investigation has gone on for even longer, with some quarters even tying the indecision to the ongoing takeover saga. It would hardly be a surprise to see the Glazer family try to leave the issue to the next owners of the club, should that situation ever reach a resolution.
But according to The Athletic’s sources, the length of time taken is a reflection of the ‘thoroughness’ of the club’s investigation. As it stands, the final decision in thought to rest with CEO Richard Arnold and co-chairman Joel Glazer.
As reported by The Peoples Person earlier in the week, a loan move has been mooted with Italy as a potential destination.
And that is corroborated by The Athletic’s report, in which it is claimed that Man United are minded to keep Greenwood contracted to the club. That means that – at this point – an outcome involving termination of the player’s contract or a sale of the player appears highly unlikely.
That is despite the academy graduate currently taking no part in preseason, which has begun today.
There remain many around Old Trafford who are unsettled by the prospect of bring Greenwood back into the fold, and it is understood that there is a split between the commercial side of the club and the sporting.
On the former, sponsors such as Nike (who terminated their endorsement agreement with the player within a week of his arrest) have already made their stance clear on Greenwood’s potential return. In the latter case, many on the sporting side believe that a duty of care exists to aid in the rehabilitation of a man who has been with the club since the age of six.
Meanwhile, there is the playing staff at Man United to consider. Members if the Women’s team are known to take issue with Greenwood’s potential return and – while earlier reports indicated that a conversation with them were expected – it is interesting to note that The Athletic now regards the likelihood of those discussions taking place as “unclear.”
It seems likely that the club’s decision makers want him back in the fold, but are aware that – however long rehabilitating the man himself will take – rehabilitating his image will prove just as arduous.
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