Manchester United demanding £40m for Mason Greenwood; European giants emerge as new frontrunners: Reports
Premier League giants Manchester United are reportedly demanding £40 million for controversial winger Mason Greenwood, with Italian giants Juventus emerging as new frontrunners for his services, according to Times Sport.
Greenwood denied allegations of rape, controlling behaviour and assault levelled against him by his ex-girlfriend, with all charges being dropped in February 2023. The club and he then mutually decided that it would be in his best interest to continue his career in another environment in the short term, therefore loaning him to Getafe.
The 22-year-old has been impressive for the La Liga side, bagging 10 goals and six assists in 31 games across all competitions. He earned special praise from Getafe manager Jose Bordalas, who said Greenwood has 'exemplary behaviour' even in the face of abuse from opposition fans.
Although rumours have been swirling about Greenwood seeking a permanent move away from England, there is a possibility that he will continue his stay at Old Trafford beyond this season.
Sources close to United suggest that Greenwood will likely be sold by new owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS, but the transfer fee won't be a 'fire-sale price'. If no offer comes in around their £40 million demand, they will likely extend his contract by a year beyond its current 2025 expiry.
Juventus have reportedly expressed great interest in signing the Englishman, with Atletico Madrid also in the running. Barcelona were initially interested, but are said to be looking elsewhere of late.
With Manchester United interested in bringing Juve defender Gleison Bremer to Old Trafford, they could leverage the Bianconeri's interest to engineer a swap deal.
In any case, it will be interesting to see where Greenwood ends up after the upcoming summer transfer window.
Juventus legend Alessandro del Piero urges Manchester United outcast to return to club after loan spell
Juventus legend Alessandro del Piero has urged Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho to return to the club after his loan spell ends at Borussia Dortmund.
His incredible performance lit up the first leg of Dortmund's Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, which his side won 1-0. CBS Sports analysts, including Del Piero, were left dumbfounded by his incredible play throughout the game.
The Italian said (via CBS Sports Golazo):
"If a player like him can play these kinds of games, with this kind of quality, you need to go to Manchester United. Next year maybe, one more year, lets see how he feels, which coach, ok, everything, this kind of player needs to play every year at the top. I know they are struggling, but you have to, you want to achieve with the big clubs and this is the destiny of Man United and the destiny of him at some point."
Similarly to Greenwood, Sancho has been cast out of the United squad. However, the reasons are vastly different. The winger is said to have fallen out of favour in manager Erik ten Hag's system and has even publicly hit out at the Dutchman.
Due to this, he was dropped from the main squad and sent on loan to his former club, where he has rekindled his form. Although he has bagged only three goals and two assists in 20 appearances, his silky dribbling, one-on-one abilities and creativity have played crucial roles in powering Dortmund to the semi-final.
It is being widely reported that Sancho will only return to Manchester United if Erik ten Hag is sacked. Therefore, the upcoming window is crucial for United to take their final call on Sancho's future.