Revealed: How Mason Greenwood has reacted to Marseille mayor’s comments as one club plans transfer hijack

At the beginning of the week, it looked all but certain that Mason Greenwood would be spending the 2024/2025 campaign with Olympique Marseille.

Manchester United had received and subsequently accepted a £26.7 million bid; £23.3m as an upfront fee and £3.4m in add-ons, along with a sizeable share of any future resale.

It had been widely reported that the Ligue 1 outfit was Greenwood’s preferred destination this summer, having garnered interest from a host of clubs – primarily in Italy, where Juventus, Napoli, and Lazio were all targeting his signature. Getafe were also keen on taking him back on loan for another season, but United preferred to cash in now and raise transfer funds.

Now, the attacker’s prospective move to Marseille has seemingly hit a roadblock due to reaction from fans – who’ve launched a #GreenwoodOut campaign on social media – and city major Benoit Payan, who has specifically spoken out regarding his intent to cancel any deal.

Of course, this is because of the significant baggage Greenwood carries wherever he plays his football after he was charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2022.

Distressing footage released by a woman on social media prompted his initial arrest, which has made the majority of top European clubs extremely hesitant to welcome him at their clubs and risk upsetting supporters.

What Marseille’s mayor said of Greenwood’s prospective transfer

Payan said of the prospective deal on Tuesday: “Greenwood’s behaviour is unspeakable, unacceptable. Hitting his wife… I saw images that deeply shocked me. Attacking his wife in this way is unworthy of a man, and I believe he cannot have a place in this team.

“The values of Marseille and the values of Olympique de Marseille are anything but that. It’s anything but racism and anti-Semitism. It’s anything but… can you imagine, violence against women? Do you realise that? And he wants to play for Olympique de Marseille, Greenwood? It’s a disgrace.

“I will ask the president of Olympique de Marseille not to recruit Greenwood. I don’t want my club to be covered in the shame of someone who hits his wife. I don’t want my club to be covered in the ashes of someone who hits his wife like that. It’s not acceptable.”

As such, Gianluca di Marzio reports that Greenwood has been left ‘intimidated’ by the backlash surrounding his move, leading club chiefs to intervene in hopes of convincing him to follow through with the proposed transfer.

Should he dig his heels much longer, Lazio are poised to try their luck in hijacking the 22-year-old’s Marseille switch and tabling another offer to his agent.