Soccer

Getafe boss defends club’s decision to sign Mason Greenwood

Jose Bordalas says he wants to help Greenwood ‘recover professional status’ in Spain

Mason Greenwood has joined Getafe on a season-long loan after 19 months of inactivity at Old Trafford. Photograph: PA
Mason Greenwood has joined Getafe on a season-long loan after 19 months of inactivity at Old Trafford. Photograph: PA
Sun Sept 03 2023 - 12:26

Getafe head coach Jose Bordalas has defended the club’s decision to hand Mason Greenwood a way back into football.

Greenwood was charged by Greater Manchester Police with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault in October 2022 after allegations were made online. The charges were dropped in February when the CPS said there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction” after key witnesses withdrew their co-operation from the investigation. Greenwood denied all charges.

The 21-year-old joined the LaLiga side on loan from Manchester United – who suspended him in January 2022 – on transfer deadline day. Reports had suggested United intended to reintegrate Greenwood into the squad at Old Trafford after concluding an internal investigation, but the club revealed last week he would be leaving by mutual agreement after a public outcry.

Bordalás addressed the issue after his club were beaten 2-1 by Real Madrid at the refurbished Santiago Bernabéu stadium. “It’s too delicate a subject to treat lightly,” he said. “Everyone knows what happened and the appropriate measures were taken. We can only talk about football, obviously. The relevant bodies did what had to be done.”

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Bordalás appeared confused by the legal details of the case but went on: “Everyone knows what happened and that it ended with a sentence that did not find him guilty [the charges were dropped after key witnesses withdrew their co-operation]. He’s a footballer of an extremely high level and he arrives at Getafe with huge enthusiasm. We will try to help him to get back to his best level.”

[ Transfer deadline day as it happened ]

There are fears, particularly in the wake of the backlash surrounding the unsolicited kiss of Jenni Hermoso by the Spanish football federation president, Luis Rubiales, after the Women’s World Cup final, that supporters may reject him and protest against the loan move. Yet Bordalás insisted Getafe were keen to help Greenwood.

“I can only talk about it in footballing terms,” he said. “We all know the potential he has. He is a very young boy, he is still only 21, and we hope that he can adapt to a very different league. We all know the potential he has and if physically he can get back – and I am sure of that – he will want to recover the professional status he had and Getafe can help him to do so.”