Getafe coach confirms Jude Bellingham role in Mason Greenwood loan transfer from Manchester United
Getafe coach Jose Bordalas has said that Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham advised disgraced Manchester United attacker Mason Greenwood to move to Spain.
Greenwood, 21, was touted as one of the most special talents to have emerged out of Manchester United in recent years.
The young Englishman made a rousing start to his senior career after coming up through the ranks. He bagged 35 goals and 12 assists in 129 games across competitions, with most of those goal contributions coming when he was still a teenager.
However, Greenwood's life turned upside down in January of 2022 when he was arrested on charges of rape, assault and coercive behavior. United immediately suspended the player indefinitely pending an investigation.
A year later, the Crown Prosecution Service lifted the charges. United also found in their investigation that Greenwood wasn't culpable for the aforementioned charges.
However, severe backlash from fans on reports of the player's first-team return led to Manchester United announcing that continued association with Greenwood was untenable.
Greenwood was sent out on a season-long loan to La Liga side Getafe on deadline day after a move to Lazio had fallen through. GOAL has now reported that Bellingham - who joined Real Madrid this summer - has had a role in his compatriot's move to Spain.
Getafe boss Bordalas told Radio Marca (via GOAL):
“Greenwood is friends with Bellingham, and he advised him to come to the Spanish league.”
Bordalas waxed lyrical about Greenwood's on-field qualities and hopes that he hits his stride soon after not playing competitively in nearly two years:
“It was a surprise, we never thought we could get a player like that. But they got in touch with our sporting director [Ruben Reyes]. We talked. We didn’t think it could happen, but both sides made an effort [financially].”
“He is a fantastic player. You have to be patient, calm, he hasn’t played in a year and a half. We and his colleagues are helping him. He is integrating in a sensational way, and I hope he can help us.”
Greenwood is expected to make his debut for Getafe on Sunday (September 17) against Osasuna.
How have Manchester United fared this season?
The Old Trafford outfit have had a stumbling start to their 2023-24 campaign. They have won two of their four league games - losing two - and find themselves in 11th place in the Premier League standings.
After starting off with a rather fortunate 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Erik ten Hag's side came undone at Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-0 defeat.
United returned to winning ways - albeit unconvincingly - against Nottingham Forest. The Red Devils recovered from going two goals down inside five minutes at home to eventually prevail 3-2.
However, just before the international break, Manchester United conceded two injury-time goals at Arsenal to lose 3-1. They return to league action at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (September 16).