Mason Greenwood: Manchester United reveal 'intensive deliberation' over forward's future

1 year ago 22

Manchester United accidental nary determination has made astir Mason Greenwood's future, which is inactive the "subject of intensive interior deliberation".

Charges against guardant Greenwood, 21, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped connected 2 February.

An announcement was expected earlier Monday's Premier League opener against Wolves but was delayed.

In a connection connected Wednesday, United said the "fact-finding phase" of their probe was present complete.

They added a determination astir Greenwood's aboriginal - which "ultimately rests" with main enforcement serviceman Richard Arnold - was successful the last stages.

It is thought United's absorption of question was for Greenwood to instrumentality successful immoderate form, but the fierceness of statement astir his future, among different things, has made them pause.

United said they had gathered "extensive grounds and discourse not successful the nationalist domain" and spoke to "numerous radical with nonstop engagement oregon cognition of the case".

"Throughout this process, the payment and position of the alleged unfortunate has been cardinal to the club's inquiries, and we respect her close to lifelong anonymity," the connection said.

"We besides person responsibilities to Mason arsenic an employee, arsenic a young idiosyncratic who has been with the nine since the property of seven, and arsenic a caller begetter with a partner."

The nine added: "Contrary to media speculation, that determination has not yet been made and is presently the taxable of intensive interior deliberation.

"Once made, the determination volition beryllium communicated and explained to the club's interior and outer stakeholders.

"This has been a hard lawsuit for everyone associated with Manchester United, and we recognize the beardown opinions it has provoked based connected the partial grounds successful the nationalist domain. We inquire for patience arsenic we enactment done the last stages of this cautiously considered process."

United said connected Friday they would consult with each cardinal stakeholders, including their women's team, earlier a determination is announced.

Fans protested extracurricular Old Trafford against Greenwood's imaginable instrumentality earlier the Wolves crippled and a radical of pistillate United supporters said they privation the nine to "demonstrate a zero tolerance approach" towards unit against women.

Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return enactment retired a lengthy statement to accidental Greenwood's reintegration "tells us, arsenic women, that we don't matter".

BBC Sport contacted Greenwood's lawyers for a effect to the planned protest, but they declined to comment.

Greenwood has been unavailable for enactment since his apprehension and has not been progressive astatine the club's Carrington grooming ground.

His United declaration runs until June 2025.

He was arrested successful January 2022 pursuing allegations surrounding images and videos which were published connected societal media. He was aboriginal charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and battle occasioning existent bodily harm.

After the charges against Greenwood were dropped, the Crown Prosecution Service said cardinal witnesses had withdrawn and caller worldly had travel to light, meaning determination was "no longer a realistic imaginable of conviction".

At the time, a connection released connected Greenwood's behalf said helium was "relieved". United past started their ain interior investigation.

Analysis

Simon Stone, BBC Sport

There is nary uncertainty erstwhile Manchester United completed their pre-season circuit of the United States astatine the extremity of past month, a determination astir Mason Greenwood's aboriginal astatine the nine was planned earlier the play began. BBC Sport - and others - reported that and it was based connected factual information.

While nary implicit determination had been taken by main enforcement Richard Arnold, it is besides existent that the absorption of question was for Greenwood to instrumentality successful immoderate form, albeit successful the cognition that aft not grooming decently for 18 months, it would instrumentality him immoderate clip to get into the close information to play.

United were not arriving astatine that concern without a large woody of thought. They person ever been acutely alert of the delicate quality of this process and the emotion generated by the lawsuit arsenic a whole.

However, they did feel, arsenic the nine connection makes clear, they had a work of attraction to Greenwood, who has been with them since helium was a young boy.

Clearly though, determination has been much statement astir Greenwood implicit the past 2 weeks. The fierceness of it is what has made them pause.

There is besides a beardown constituent of needing to consult with stakeholders including, crucially, sponsors and the women's squad - immoderate of whom connected Sunday volition play the crippled of their lives successful the World Cup final. It would beryllium crass successful the utmost for an announcement of this quality to travel astatine a constituent wherever it could divert attraction distant from Sydney.

Whether this intermission changes minds and the eventual result remains to beryllium seen.

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