Manchester United will receive an additional windfall from Mason Greenwood’s move to Olympique de Marseille after a clause was activated in the deal, the French club’s president has confirmed.
Greenwood, 23, joined Marseille last summer in a deal worth £26.6 million after serious legal issues in England meant the forward’s position at Old Trafford was untenable. He had spent the previous season on loan at Getafe, scoring 8 goals and providing 6 assists in Spain as he won the club’s Player of the Season award.
As part of the move to Marseille, United negotiated a sell-on clause which entitles the Red Devils to 50% of the profits of any future transfer.
And despite Greenwood finishing as the joint highest-scorer in Ligue 1 – level with Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele on 21 goals – there have been reports linking the 23-year-old with an exit from the Orange Vélodrome.
Greenwood has clashed with manager Roberto De Zerbi who has openly criticised the forward’s attitude and work-rate. He was even dropped by the Italian coach in March ahead of the crucial clash with PSG.
The Saudi Pro League have been linked with a swoop for the Carrington graduate – a transfer which would necessitate a huge fee and, therefore, a significant windfall for the Red Devils.
A return to the Premier League has also been mooted, though this has been downplayed by sources as a move would prove too controversial for the interested clubs.
But United have already received a welcome boost from Greenwood after Marseille’s qualification to next season’s Champions League was confirmed after a runners-up finish in Ligue 1.
The French side’s president, Pablo Longoria, confirmed this had triggered a clause which requires Les Phocéens to “pay an additional fee” to United, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Longoria states, “[Greenwood is] a key player in the squad. We’d like to provide continuity, he’s happy here.”
“We’re happy with his performance this season. He scored 21 goals (in Ligue 1), plus one in the Cup. He was one of the most important players of the season, and we’re very proud of his first season.
“There were ups and downs, naturally. But it was his first full season with a preseason. Everything happened very quickly for him compared to past situations. Regarding the contract situation, we bought 50% of the player’s value; it was the only way to complete the transaction because they had offers higher than ours.
“Qualifying for the Champions League requires us to buy around 10% more.”
United are braced for a pivotal transfer window this summer to overhaul Ruben Amorim’s squad. Every penny will count with a host of positions needing upgrades, and so the prospect of an additional windfall from France will be music to INEOS’ ears.
Feature image Miguel Medina via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
