Very few decisions at Manchester United have been straightforward for the club over the past year.
If deciding on Erik ten Hag’s fate is the most immediate issue facing Ineos, then the Mason Greenwood saga is another problem to be solved during a summer in which the failings of the previous regime simply must be addressed.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe indicated shortly after the confirmation of his minority takeover that a ‘fresh decision’ would need to be taken regarding the Carrington graduate.
But the expectation remains that Manchester United will sell, Barcelona’s interest potentially the door for the Red Devils to wash their hands of Greenwood while adding a substantial sum of money to a restricted budget.
Manchester United ‘want to sell’ Mason Greenwood
Angel Torres, the Getafe president who took a punt on Greenwood when so few others would have, is once again making no secret of his desire to keep the one-time England international for at least another season.
But while Torres remains confident of an extension being agreed, it’s hard to imagine that either Getafe can afford the sort of fee United want, or that Ineos would be happy to green-light another temporary solution when there are Financial Fair Play concerns to be addressed and ‘pure profit’ to be made.
“It depends on the boy and the parents, if he is going to continue,” Torres tells Radio Marca. “Manchester seems to want to sell him if there is a good offer. But I think he is going to stay.”
That certainly feels a little optimistic, especially with Torres confirming that Barcelona president Joan Laporta has made his interest in Greenwood known. The Getafe chief knows nothing at this stage, however, about a potential switch to another La Liga powerhouse in Atletico Madrid.
Getafe chief confirms Barcelona talks
“No one from Atleti has asked me about Greenwood,” Torres adds. “I spoke with Miguel Angel (Gil, the Atleti president), but about other things. The only one who asked me in that sense about the player was Joan Laporta,” Torres adds.
“(Laporta) was here. I spoke with him and (Barca director) Deco and they asked me.
“First, you have to sell to sign. This is the problem of Spanish football. To sign, all the teams, not just Barcelona, also Getafe, Atletico, we first need sell and then buy. That’s why it’s going to be a long summer.
“It is the problem that 80% of the clubs have.”
16 goals and assists in Spain
UnitedinFocus have been told that Man United want around £50 million. Greenwood has an impressive 10 goals and six assists for Getafe, earning the admiration of one Antoine Griezmann and proving himself to be a footballer of ‘Real Madrid-level’ quality.
“(He is) too good for Getafe, with all the respect in the world. They’ve had the benefit of having a player they wouldn’t normally have,” explains Terry Gibson, Spanish football expert and one-time United forward speaking on El Tel and Jon’s La Liga Weekly podcast.
“As a footballer, he’s been superb. He’s knuckled down, got on with the job. It’s not a glamorous posting to go and play for Getafe. You have to have a certain culture there, and he’s adhered to that. There hasn’t been one bad word said about him, he’s worked hard, good attitude and you can see the quality.”
“I have no idea what’s going to happen to him next season. I think what we’ve seen of him in La Liga, the big clubs would like to take him. They’ve let Getafe take the flak in the beginning,” adds Gibson.
“I don’t think there would be a massive uproar if he went to Barcelona or Atletico Madrid now. I think now it’s been accepted in Spain that he’s playing out there.
“We knew that (he had the quality) anyway. He was all the makings of a genuine superstar.”