It has been reported that Saudi Arabia aims to sign Greenwood for 100 million, and if the deal goes through, Manchester United will receive 37 million! However, another club is also entitled to a share.

Former Manchester United academy player Mason Greenwood has become a target for the Saudi Professional League, with plans to acquire him as early as January next year. Greenwood has excelled this season in Ligue 1, scoring 10 goals to top the scoring charts, attracting interest from several Saudi clubs.

Greenwood joined Manchester United at age 6 and made his first-team debut at 17 years and 156 days old. In the 2019/20 season, he scored 17 goals across all competitions, becoming a key player and earning a call-up to the England national team. He made 139 appearances for United, scoring 35 goals. However, his career was marred by a controversial domestic violence case, including charges of attempted rape and assault, which were dropped after his girlfriend withdrew the accusations.

Greenwood’s future at Manchester United was effectively destroyed by this incident. He was first loaned to La Liga’s Getafe and then transferred to Marseille a year later. At the French club, the English forward has re-established himself, scoring 33 goals in 55 appearances, and last season he tied for the top scorer with 21 goals alongside Ousmane Dembélé.

Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich investors have consistently monitored Greenwood. According to the Spanish outlet “Fichajes,” multiple Saudi teams may attempt to sign him during the winter transfer window, aiming to persuade him to leave Europe. Among them, newly promoted club Al-Nasr FC is particularly eager, reportedly offering 100 million euros (87 million pounds) for the 24-year-old Marseille striker.

The coach of Al-Nasr FC is Christophe Galtier, former Paris Saint-Germain manager. The club has already recruited several well-known European players, including former Arsenal and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, ex-Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré, and former West Ham winger Saïd Benrahma. This season, Al-Nasr currently ranks 8th in the Saudi league.

Marseille hopes to keep Greenwood, but they may agree to sell if the offer is exceptionally high. Marseille’s coach Roberto De Zerbi commented on Greenwood: “He is a good person who has paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price. But he has found an environment that suits him, and we have offered him support and care. He is somewhat reserved, but I understand him and his family. His life story saddens me because the person I know is completely different from the one portrayed in the English media.”

However, Greenwood himself is reluctant to move to the Middle East for financial reasons; he still hopes to return to the England national team and has therefore declined an invitation to join the Jamaica squad coached by McLaren.

Manchester United naturally hopes the deal can be completed, since when they sold Greenwood to Marseille for 26 million euros, the contract stipulated that if Marseille profits from a future sale, United would receive 50% of the profit. Based on a 100 million euro price, United could earn 37 million euros.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos is eager to raise more funds by selling players to continue rebuilding Ruben Amorim’s squad, especially in midfield, where their main targets are each valued at 100 million pounds!

However, Manchester United will not enjoy the entire secondary transfer income from Greenwood, because when they loaned him to Getafe in the 2023/24 season, the contract stipulated that Getafe would receive 10% of any future transfer fee. After all, it was Getafe who took him in during his most troubled times, ignoring outside controversy and helping him regain form.

For Saudi clubs, Greenwood’s domestic violence scandal is not an issue at all and will not hinder any potential transfer; everything depends on the attitudes of Marseille and Greenwood himself.