Mason Greenwood says he “only wants to look forward” after facing an uncomfortable introductory press conference at Marseille this afternoon.
The one-time England international joined Marseille from Manchester United last night for a fee that could rise to £26.6million.
Greenwood was charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour in October 2022 but the charges – which he denied – were dropped five months later after key witnesses withdrew their co-operation and new material came to light.
He spent last season on loan at Getafe, scoring 10 goals in 36 games, and is now focused on rebuilding his career at Marseille despite opposition from the city’s mayor who said the player “goes against the values of OM” and some fans who launched a #GreenwoodNotWelcome campaign.
He said: “I don’t want to get into that. I spoke on this yesterday and last year. I only want to look forward and move forward with my partner and my daughter and focus on the football. I will focus on the off-field stuff with my family.
“In my personal life, I was in Madrid last season [with Getafe] with my partner and daughter and we lived comfortably. We were happy, it’s a wonderful city and a wonderful club and I expect the same here in Marseille. It’s a beautiful city. I have only been here a couple of days but I already feel at home.”
Première séance, 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 déjà au travail 💪 pic.twitter.com/dYnEMCDc3K
— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) July 19, 2024
Another question relating to Greenwood’s past was shot down by Marseille’s press officer, but the club’s president Pablo Longoria admitted his arrival “raises many questions”.
Longoria said: “I am very happy to welcome a player with Mason’s international appeal.
“He is a young player with many qualities, one of the greatest talents and he demonstrated this with Manchester United and Getafe.
“There were big European clubs competing with us. Thank you to his family, his camp and you Mason. His arrival shows the ambition we want to show this season.
“I want to tell everyone that I am the first to understand that Mason’s arrival raises many questions. I respect everyone’s opinion but I am not here to get into the controversy. We are talking about the past, it is a complex situation. Mason has already spoken on this subject, even yesterday.
“I took the necessary time to examine all the elements of the case and I can assure you that the club has a professional and meticulous approach. I’m Spanish so I know Mason was exemplary last season in Madrid.
“It’s time to talk about the future, as president of OM, I will support Mason like all his team-mates to achieve our goals. I want to say that I personally assure you that Mason has all the values we want to develop at the club.”
