Mayor of Marseille CONDEMNS Mason Greenwood transfer

Cameron Smith

9 Jul 2024 22:15 BST
3 min read

Benoit Payan, the Mayor of Marseille, has condemned the imminent signing of Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood.

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Greenwood is set to join Marseille after the Ligue 1 club agreed a €31.6 million deal with Man Utd,

The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at LaLiga club Getafe, while he hasn’t played for Man Utd since his arrest on suspicion of rape and assault in January 2022.

Greenwood is expected to leave Old Trafford on a permanent deal and Marseille is now his most likely destination.

However, his potential arrival has divided opinion in the south of France.

New Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has backed Greenwood, while a section of supporters have started an online campaign to block the transfer.

Marseille’s Mayor, Payan, has now weighed in on the move and he has urged the club to end their pursuit of Greenwood.

“Greenwood’s behaviour is unspeakable, unacceptable,” Payan told RMC Sport.

“Hitting his wife… I saw images that deeply shocked me. Massacring his wife in this way is unbecoming of a man and he cannot have his place on this team.”

He added: “The values of OM and Marseille are anything but that in fact. It’s a shame. I will ask Pablo Longoria not to recruit Greenwood. I don’t want my club to be covered with the shame of someone who hits his wife.”

© IMAGO - Mason Greenwood is set to join Marseille

What has Roberto De Zerbi said?

As mentioned, De Zerbi has commented on Greenwood’s potential arrival, admitting: “Mason is a world class player but we have not recruited him yet.

“I don't know what happened but I am not used to get involved in my players' private life. But if he comes here, you have to know that I treat all my players like my sons. I can tell them off in private but I would never attack them in public.”