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In the background of Manchester United’s on-field successes this season is the murky situation of Mason Greenwood.
Arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behavior more than a year ago, the 21-year-old has now had the charges against him dropped.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service conveyed that the charges had been dropped because “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material coming to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.”
Crucially, he was not found innocent and, given the audiotapes that surfaced at the time of his arrest, the veracity of which has never been denied, never will be. Not just to the courts, but to almost any viewer.
As such, his career as a footballer, or at least as a Man United footballer, is on a knife edge.
As The Peoples Person reported, extensions to the Turkish transfer window due to the devastating earthquakes that have hit the country in recent weeks have prompted several Super League clubs to inquire about a potential loan move, offering Greenwood an escape. England storm. .
Whether or not that is the route the striker takes this Sunday, eventually Manchester United will need to decide on a more permanent result, either to bring him back into the fold or part ways with the academy graduate.
According to The Athletic, if Greenwood were to end up staying at Old Trafford, his reintroduction would be gradual, taking all related parties into account.
That would certainly be difficult. It’s not just sponsorships to consider: there is a genuine human element at play, with many in the Manchester United Women’s dressing room feeling “deeply uneasy” at the prospect of Greenwood’s return.
There are also fans to consider. Natalie Burrell, founder of the Manchester United Women’s Supporters Club, was emphatic in saying: “I don’t think I should ever play for Manchester United again.
“They need to make a statement and letting him come back would be the worst thing they could do. It would set our club back in terms of what we’re trying to do with our women’s team and campaigns like Her Game Too, which try to encourage women to play and watch football.
“I just don’t want to see him train. I don’t want to see him in a (United) kit. I don’t want to see him go out at Old Trafford ever again.”
It has been proposed that a staged return would involve a commitment to rehabilitation from Greenwood, which would involve counseling or therapy.
A television interview challenging him on the events as they occurred has also been suggested, with The Athletic stating that a source believed “United may try to frame him as a youngster who has made mistakes and is remorseful for his actions.”
One would hope that, should Greenwood return, the PR framework won’t be necessary for something as basic as remorse.
