Sir Jim Ratcliffe opens door for Mason Greenwood to return to United

Mason Greenwood could have a Manchester United future.

The England striker was suspended in January 2022 after he was arrested on suspicion of raping and assaulting a girl.

Greenwood was subsequently charged with quite a lot of offences which have been then dropped – and he was despatched to Spanish aspect Getafe on mortgage till the tip of the season in September following a United probe into his behaviour.

It had been understood that academy product Greenwood wouldn’t play for United once more.

 

With regards to on the sphere issues, United have strongly advised Greenwood would by no means play for them once more. However, Ratcliffe had a distinct stance.

‘It’s a contemporary choice,’ he stated.

‘I can talk about the principle. I am not going to talk about Mason. I am familiar with it. The principle is the important one. We will have other issues going forwards. 

‘You are dealing with young people who have not always been brought up in the best circumstances, who have a lot of money and they don’t all the time have the steerage they need to have. 

‘What we have to do when have points like that’s perceive actual impacts not the hype then we have to make a good choice within the gentle of the membership’s values. That’s what we have to do and that’s how we’ll cope with it.’

Ratcliffe additionally informed the BBC: ‘We want to take a look at information, choose pretty and take into accounts what the values of the membership are. Then we come out of that with a choice. It will not be acceptable for me to touch upon Mason Greenwood.’ 

Manchester United had acted swiftly to droop the participant on the day he was arrested in January 2022 — hours after deeply disturbing photos and audio have been posted on-line.

United put their religion within the justice system. But a 12 months later got here the information that there can be no trial, no choose, no jury and most significantly no verdict. In the eyes of the regulation, the 21-year-old was an harmless man, however it could be left to the membership to make the decision. The ball was again of their court docket — and never many had seen it coming. 

United then launched their very own investigation and stated Greenwood would stay unavailable for choice till it had concluded.

The accountability was to lie on the shoulders of chief government Richard Arnold. He enlisted the assistance of quite a lot of senior executives again in 2023, who included authorized counsel Patrick Stewart, soccer director John Murtough, chief working officer Collette Roche and communications chief Ellie Norman.

The purpose was to finish the investigation forward of the brand new season and thus present readability to supervisor Erik ten Hag, who was eager to plan for the forthcoming marketing campaign. The probe befell unbiased of the takeover saga, which stays ongoing. Although this was an enormous concern to be handled, there was to be no enter from the events.

The crux of the investigation was to decipher what had truly occurred. Although the alleged sufferer declined to co-operate — as she had finally achieved with the Crown Prosecution Service — her mom spoke to United together with her blessing. Later within the course of, when United had drafted their findings, each got the chance to remark or right any of what the membership believed have been the information of the matter. No such clarification had been forthcoming.

United have been fast to ascertain that the social media content material that triggered Greenwood’s arrest — a combination of images and harrowing audio clips — was posted within the early hours of the morning after the striker had ended his relationship with the alleged sufferer. 

United requested for — and got — explanations behind these posts and have been glad that no bodily abuse befell, a discovering that was not disputed by the alleged sufferer’s household.

They additionally discovered that Greenwood had not subjected the girl to coercive management, following conversations together with her mom, and that the audio clip was an excerpt from a lengthier trade.

They stated they can’t share that extra footage. Police arrested Greenwood in a while the day the content material was posted, however United’s overview discovered that that they had acted after being made conscious of the posts, and never following a criticism from the alleged sufferer.

United then examined Greenwood’s behaviour with the police following his arrest and located that he handed over his units and passwords so officers may totally study them. In April of final 12 months, round three months after Greenwood’s arrest, the alleged sufferer withdrew each her allegations and her assist of the investigation.

However, in October 2022, the CPS charged Greenwood with tried rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.

The police and CPS labored collectively for a 12 months to construct a case. However, following the withdrawal of key witnesses and the approaching to gentle of latest proof, they determined {that a} conviction was unlikely and in February 2023 withdrew these costs, dumping the matter on United’s doorstep.

Over the course of their subsequent inquiries United have been left assured that the social media posts represented a small fraction of the proof thought of by the CPS and, as such, didn’t paint a full image of the scenario.

The court docket of public opinion was then taken under consideration. United examined varied eventualities and the possible reactions. Whether Greenwood may pull on a purple shirt once more with out proving to be a massively damaging distraction was a part of the dialogue, as was the possible response from media retailers and home abuse charities.

Numerous workers and gamers have been below the impression that Greenwood was to be introduced again into the fold. Some perceived a cut up throughout the camp, with a few of these on the soccer aspect eager for him to return — a view not shared by nearly all of these within the workplaces. The dressing room was thought to have been barely in favour of Greenwood coming again in 2023 earlier than he left for Getafe. Although not one of many extra common gamers, he’s near quite a lot of those that got here by the ranks with him.

Indeed, it was understood in 2023 that Ten Hag was amongst these in favour of a return for Greenwood and had reached out to the participant. There had additionally been work within the evaluation division on how greatest to make use of Greenwood ought to he return given the change in enjoying model and personnel since his final look.

Sources disclosed to Mail Sport in 2023 that Greenwood, who skilled away from the membership however below their supervision, was below the impression earlier this summer time that he can be returning.

In 2023 The Athletic reported that United’s plan was to reintegrate the participant and that that they had taken strikes to justify that call to a gaggle of workers angered on the prospect. They additionally reported that Arnold meant to report a video explaining the choice to followers and workers.

The story triggered an enormous backlash. Supporters, members of parliament and varied charities got here ahead to implore the membership to rethink the choice. Rachel Riley, the United-supporting tv presenter, joined the controversy by saying she would not stay a fan ought to Greenwood return. Arnold acquired quite a lot of articulate, impassioned emails from followers urging him to not permit Greenwood to play for the membership once more.

United stated no choice had been reached at that stage and that the reported situation was certainly one of many that they had been contemplating.

Ultimately, Arnold discovered that Greenwood had the proper to renew his profession. However, the anticipated backlash and affect that will have on membership and participant led them to resolve it could be greatest for all events if he restarted that profession away from Old Trafford. He later joined Getafe on mortgage, the place he stays on the time of writing.