Mason Greenwood's Shocking Exit: Unveiling the Truth Behind Manchester United's Decision

Manchester United has announced that Mason Greenwood will depart the club, following an internal investigation regarding allegations of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior, and assault. The details regarding the manner of Greenwood's departure remain uncertain.

Manchester United temporarily suspended the 21-year-old from training and matches as they conducted an internal investigation, following the discontinuation of the case against Greenwood by the Crown Prosecution Service. In a statement issued in February, the CPS explained that the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new evidence made it unlikely for a conviction to be viable.

The club stated that everyone involved, including Mason, recognizes the challenges of him resuming his career at Manchester United. As a result, it has been agreed upon by both parties that it would be more suitable for him to pursue his career elsewhere instead of Old Trafford. The club will now collaborate with Mason to achieve this outcome.

Additionally, the statement stated that based on the available evidence, it has been concluded that the online material does not provide a complete picture and that Mason did not commit the offenses he was initially charged with. However, Mason acknowledges his mistakes publicly and takes full responsibility for them.

Greenwood, a product of Manchester United's academy, last featured for the club in January 2022. He earned his first senior cap for England when he played in the Nations League game against Iceland in September 2020.

In a statement, Man Utd CEO Richard Arnold acknowledged that the process of reintegrating Greenwood into the first team had been carefully considered and planned for. This came after earlier reports suggesting United's senior staff had been informed about the forward's potential return.

Here, We News' Kaveh Solhekol answers the key questions surrounding the news.

Greenwood hasn't played for Man Utd since January 2022. Take us through from there to today.

Mason Greenwood faced allegations of sexual misconduct after audio clips surfaced on social media, seemingly depicting a man coercing a woman into sexual activity. These clips implicated Greenwood as the individual involved. Additionally, images were shared online, suggesting instances of violence against a woman.

In January 2022, Greenwood was arrested by the police. However, it was not until October 2022 that he was formally charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior, and assault. Sadly, these charges were later dropped due to the withdrawal of crucial witnesses and the emergence of new evidence that undermined the likelihood of a successful prosecution.

Mason Greenwood has always denied the charges.

Could you summarise Arnold's letter to Man Utd supporters?

Some individuals, particularly those in PR positions, might wonder if Richard Arnold went into excessive detail. Instead, Manchester United could have simply issued a brief statement stating that they conducted a comprehensive internal investigation and determined that Mason Greenwood would no longer play for the club, with no further comments to be made.

However, what we have seen is a statement from the club, a statement from Mason Greenwood, and a lengthy open letter from Richard Arnold. Was it necessary for them to act as both the judge and jury? In his own letter, Arnold acknowledges that they did not have access to all the evidence. This approach only serves to prompt more inquiries from the public.

Is this response related to an article in The Athletic last week about Man Utd's plans to reintegrate Greenwood?

Kaveh Solhekol: Today's events can be interpreted in various ways. Man Utd's official stance is that they conducted a comprehensive internal investigation, which led them to the decision that Greenwood will no longer play for the club. However, they assure that they will support him and his family in finding a new club.

An alternative explanation is provided by Adam Crafton's article in The Athletic last Wednesday. It stated that Arnold, in a meeting at the beginning of August, addressed his senior leadership team at Man Utd and made the decision to have Greenwood play for the club again, and be reintegrated into the first-team squad.

Crafton followed up with another story on Friday, providing even more details on how Man Utd had planned to present Greenwood's reintegration to the media and their fans. He even mentioned that they had categorized journalists into different groups - those who would be supportive, those who would be hostile, and those who would remain neutral.

The alternative explanation is that Manchester United made the decision at the beginning of this month to bring Greenwood back into the first-team squad. They believed it was the right decision from a footballing perspective and were prepared to face criticism. However, due to the recent reports on Wednesday, there has been a backlash. Manchester United fans have expressed their concerns and even written to Richard Arnold, while some MPs have spoken out. These events seem to have prompted the club to reconsider their decision. So now, what will happen to Greenwood, considering the club's commitment to his well-being?

The club has not mentioned terminating his contract, which still has two years remaining from the 2021 deal. Rather than being sacked, he remains an employee of Man Utd. However, they have mutually agreed that he will no longer play for the club. Arnold concludes his letter by stating that he will assist Greenwood in finding a new club.

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