Barcelona cool interest in Mason Greenwood

Stuart Telford

• 14 Mar 2024 08:52 CDT
• 4 min read

Barcelona no longer seem to be a potential next destination for Mason Greenwood, with the Blaugrana ruling themselves out of move for the Manchester United outcast.

Greenwood has spent the season on loan in Spain with Getafe, following charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault, which were ultimately dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The one-time England international has since bagged eight goals and five assists across all competitions for Getafe, and his form had reportedly caught the eye of La Liga giants Barcelona.

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But a transfer to Camp Nou no longer appears to be on the cards.

"Barcelona have cooled their interest in Mason Greenwood as they believe that signing the England striker would be too costly and while also provoking a backlash among supporters," reports The Times' Paul Hirst.

Barcelona 'looking elsewhere'

"The Catalan club have been monitoring Greenwood, 22, since he joined Getafe on a season-long loan from Manchester United last summer but… Barcelona have decided to look elsewhere."

Barca are still labouring with a debt that stands at €1.2 billion, reducing them largely to acquiring players on loans and free transfers.

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They had been hopeful that Greenwood's contract would be annulled, or that United would accept a knock-down price for their academy graduate given the bad press following him away from the field.

But new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has suggested that Greenwood might have a future at Old Trafford after all, and the 22-year-old remains under contract there until the summer of 2025.

Greenwood is valued at €17.6 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm having enjoyed a highest ETV of €76.7m three seasons ago, and United reportedly wanted €50m. Even the former figure is money that Barcelona simply don't have.

Atletico Madrid have also been linked with a move for the player, should United ultimately decide that folding him back in would be a mistake.