Manchester United will delay making their decision on Mason Greenwood’s future in order to consult players from their women’s side, according to reports.
The 21-year-old was arrested in January 2022 and suspended on full pay by the club after charges of alleged rape and assault were made against him.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced in February of this year that the charges had been dropped after the withdrawal of key witnesses, but Man United announced that they would hold their own internal investigation to decide on his future at Old Trafford.
The forward last ran out for the Red Devils during their 1-0 Premier League win over West Ham in late January 2022, but has been spotted training privately away from Carrington whilst United have been mulling their decision.
As per the Guardian, Man United had previously hoped to reveal the findings from their internal review and subsequent decision public ahead of their first match of the season on Monday against Wolves.
Man United will delay their decision over the future of Mason Greenwood due to the Women’s World Cup
The club will look consult a number of their players currently Down Under, including Lionesses Mary Earps (left) and Ella Toone (centre)
France’s Aissatou Tounkara (centre left) and Estelle Cascarino (centre right) will also be consulted as part of the internal review
But instead, the club plans to hold further consultations with the United players currently featuring at the Women’s World Cup, which includes Lionesses Mary Earps, Ella Toone, and Katie Zelem.
Aissatou Tounkara and Estelle Cascarino of France also play for the side, and like England, will play their quarter-final match on Saturday morning UK time.
Mail Sport reported in February in the wake of Greenwood’s dropped charges that some of the players in the club’s women’s team were said to be ‘deeply uncomfortable’ about the prospect of the forward’s reintegration to the first team.
At the time, Manchester United’s Women’s Supporters’ Club founder Natalie Burrell shared that she did not wish to see Greenwood in the famous red shirt of United ever again.
Some members of the men’s team reportedly would support his return to the squad, with a senior source sharing that they believed he deserves ‘a second chance’.
Greenwood’s current deal is set to keep him at the club until 2025, with the option of another year available, and a loan move has also been floated alongside a return to Erik ten Hag’s starting XI.
The 21-year-old has been training privately as his club makes their decision on reintergration
Erik ten Hag could decide on a full phased reintegration or sending the player out on loan should United keep him on at Old Trafford
Meanwhile a supporters’ group plans to protest United’s first match of the season vs Wolves
The group released a statement on Friday against the possibility of Greenwood’s return
On Friday, a group of Man United supporters announced that they planned to protest the possibility of his reintegration ahead of the match against Wolves.
A banner is said to have been prepared for display at Old Trafford reading: ‘Female Fans Demand No Greenwood Return – End Violence Against Women.’
The group also shared a statement to X (formerly known as Twitter), stating: ‘The situation is clear – taking Greenwood back legitimises and normalises sexual assault and domestic abuse.
‘It tells other players, and the men and boys that look up to them, that abusing women is acceptable, without consequence, and won’t affect you or derail your career.’
