Greenwood set to be offered Man Utd escape route by European giants
Suraj Radia
- 30 Aug 2023 13:24 BST
- 3 min read
Mason Greenwood could be offered an exit route out of Manchester United by Besiktas, with the Turkish giants ready to make an offer for the unwanted forward.
United announced that Greenwood would ‘continue his career away from Old Trafford’ earlier this month following an internal investigation into the criminal proceedings that have surrounded him since he last played for the club in January 2022.
However, Greenwood has failed to attract concrete interest from teams due to the nature of the situation, with Saudi Arabian sides having been apprehensive towards making a move due to their desire to continue developing their women’s game.
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Greenwood still has two years remaining on his contract with United, with the club also having the option to extend for a further season, and the Premier League side have shown no desire to terminate his deal to facilitate an exit.
But the i paper state that Besiktas are one of few sides ‘who have not been completely deterred’ by a deal, having tracked the situation for a long time and the Turkish side could now make a move.
Besiktas believe an initial six-month loan could be agreed in order to test the waters, with the view to a longer-term move if Greenwood excels and is welcomed by fans, although consent from the club’s women’s team will likely be sought.
Greenwood’s Turkey move not ‘an easy way out’
Interest in Greenwood had been plentiful prior to the recent reaction to the notion of Greenwood resuming his career, which forced teams from Italy and other countries to reconsider their stance.
A source told i that a move to Turkey is not ‘an easy way out’ due to the attention he will garner from English press, saying: “Of course they have seen what has been said in the UK and further afield.
“People think that Turkey is an easy way out for Greenwood, as he will just be able to get on with his career away from the public eye. But clubs know that is not how it works. Reporters will come from England to follow his progress wherever he goes, we are sure of that.
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“A short loan is appealing, though. If things go wrong, he will return to Manchester quickly. If he comes to Istanbul and scores goals straight away, the boos will quickly go. That is just the way that football works, however bad a taste that leaves. I think Turkish fans will accept him.”
