Football Manager set to reinstate Manchester United loanee Mason Greenwood into game: Reports
Manchester United loanee Mason Greenwood is reportedly set to be reinstated into Sports Interactive's videogame Football Manager.
According to The Athletic, the makers of the Football Manager game are planning to reinstate the Getafe forward. The 21-year-old joined the La Liga outfit from the Red Devils on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day.
Mason Greenwood is making a return to football after spending over a year out after being arrested in January 2022. However, charges regarding alleged sexual assault were dropped when key witnesses withdrew from the case.
The Englishman was withdrawn from both EA Sports' FIFA 23 and Football Manager at the time and he continues to not feature in either videogame. His withdrawal from the latter came just a month after his arrest.
However, Greenwood is set to be reinstated into the managerial simulation game. This is despite the mass backlash Manchester United received when contemplating bringing him back to the club. A spokesperson for Football Manager told the aforementioned source:
“Players or officials serving indefinite suspensions from football, for any reason, are removed from Football Manager at the first opportunity. When suspensions or playing restrictions are lifted, the player or official will be reinstated in-game at the next scheduled update.”
Football Manager 24 looks set to be released in November as the previous edition was released in November 2022.
Greenwood scored 35 goals and provided 12 assists in 129 games with Manchester United. He was once viewed as a future superstar at Old Trafford but his arrest has led to his exit from the club.
Getafe defend signing Manchester United's Mason Greenwood
A Getafe spokesperson recently defended their controversial signing of Mason Greenwood by insisting that the player was declared innocent. He stated:
“We do not want to enter the investigation. This guy has been declared innocent, judged, he is innocent like you or me. The moment we see that he is innocent we have no more to say.”
Manchester United held an internal investigation into the matter once Greenwood was acquitted. It took many months and it appeared that the Red Devils were prepared to reinstate him. However, the Premier League giants took a U-turn once fans made their feelings clear about his return on social media.
Getafe have been handed similar criticism for signing the Englishman but they are pressing forward with their constant social media posts of the player. This has also led to outrage from fans and domestic violence charity organizations.