Marseille needed to endure an avalanche of criticism once they signed Mason Greenwood, however there was additionally competition throughout the membership, after they purchased him from Manchester United
In 2023 Mason Greenwood noticed prices of tried rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning precise bodily hurt be dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service(Image: Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP by way of Getty Images)
A police report was lodged following a dispute amongst Marseille executives over the choice to signal Mason Greenwood from Manchester United. Greenwood, 24, parted ways with United by mutual agreement in the summer time of 2023.
He left Old Trafford roughly seven months after prices of tried rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning precise bodily hurt had been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service. Marseille acquired him from the Reds for roughly £26.7m in July 2024, a transfer that sparked controversy in France.
The debate surrounding his arrival wasn’t confined to the broader soccer neighborhood, as there was opposition in the Marseille boardroom, who had been displeased concerning the concept of signing him, in keeping with French experiences. It’s been claimed a disagreement over Greenwood resulted in a police report being filed.
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La Provence has claimed {that a} membership senior government lodged a police report after sporting director Mehdi Benatia clashed with Cecilia Barontini, a four-year veteran of the Stade Velodrome’s human sources staff, over Greenwood’s signing. Club president Pablo Longoria is believed to have tasked Barontini with dealing with a number of administrative issues alongside Alban Juster, however she was “opposed” to the idea of buying Greenwood, experiences the Manchester Evening News.
She additionally voiced her opposition to Marseille’s pursuit of Algeria worldwide defender Youcef Atal, who had acquired an eight-month suspended jail sentence and a €45,000 wonderful for sharing an anti-Semitic video after assaults had been launched on the Gaza Strip shortly after October 7, 2023.
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All of those disagreements reportedly got here to a head in a “heated confrontation” in Longoria’s workplace, which resulted in an incident report being drawn up by native police forces. Ultimately, the French giants opted to signal Greenwood, who has turned out 73 instances for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Longoria not too long ago outlined his choice making surrounding Greenwood, when he recognised there was an opportunity to signal the previous United academy graduate. He curiously revealed he consulted his mom, earlier than he reached his conclusion.
He not too long ago advised The Telegraph: “For me, it’s correct to speak openly about it. Creating taboos in life is never positive. For us it was a massive market opportunity from a sporting perspective where we analysed, very carefully, what really happened.
“In that case, having achieved due diligence and having all the data – and that is the primary time I discuss this – with all the data I known as my mom. And I mentioned ‘what do you assume, understanding all of the state of affairs?'”.
“And my mom, who used to work in the jail system in Spain, having a really revolutionary jail system mannequin in Spain – she was recognised with the medal of the state. So I ask her, having all this data, ‘what would you do in my place?’ And she mentioned to me ‘do it’. With all the data.
“It was important because I wanted someone who doesn’t have the incentive of the sport, because the talent is there, that her only incentive is the good of her son. As a man, not as a president. And, for me, it was very important that she said to me, knowing all of this, ‘do it’.”
Longoria continued: “I know that there is criticism. I know that the situation, it’s so many times, potentially reputational [damage].
“But, I repeat, in the event you assume that you’re taking the precise choice, with the precise stage of data, and from a human perspective as effectively, as a result of Mason, he is a very good child, significantly. From that point, I sleep at night time.”
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