La Liga president Javier Tebas wants Man United’s Mason Greenwood to stay in Spain after Getafe loan ends

LONDON — La Liga president Javier Tebas says he hopes Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood stays in Spanish football when his loan at Getafe ends. Greenwood, 22, joined the Madrid-based club on loan in September and has played his first minutes since the Crown Prosecution Service ended criminal proceedings against him over an alleged rape.

Greenwood, who did not play for United after his suspension in January 2022, has found good form in Spain and has seven goals and five assists in all competitions. His form has seen him linked with moves to the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid while new Manchester United minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the club would make a fresh decision on the future of the former England international.

Speaking with reporters at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Tebas said he had no interest in judging Greenwood, who he said had been found innocent when charges against him have actually been dropped. 

“I’m a lawyer,” said the La Liga president. “For someone that has come out of a legal case innocent, there’s nothing to say. I think it’s good because he’s another great player. Maybe the circumstances have made it easier for him to come, but he’s a great player and I have got no other comments to make.

“He’s doing really well at Getafe as a player and I hope he continues to be successful and continues to stay in Spanish football because that’s always good for us. When someone isn’t condemned, what should we have done? This is what courts exist for. It is not up to me to know his case in detail. He is just another player.”

When it was subsequently put to him that Greenwood had not been found innocent, Tebas added, “Greenwood was not condemned, so I don’t care.”

La Liga is currently investigating an allegation that Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham called Greenwood a “rapist.” 

Tebas said, “La Liga investigated Bellingham and let’s see what happens. It is not the first time we have done a lip-reading investigation and maybe he didn’t say what we think.”

Greenwood currently has a contract at Manchester United that is due to run until 2025 with the club holding an option to extend that deal by 12 months. Following a lengthy internal investigation, the Red Devils announced in August that they deemed it appropriate for the forward to return to football away from Old Trafford and it had been expected that he would make a permanent departure in the summer. Though that is still viewed as the likeliest event by those close to the club, Ratcliffe did indicate that a new decision could be made when speaking to reporters earlier this month.

“It’s quite clear we have to make a decision,” said Ratcliffe. “There is no decision that’s been made. He’s on loan obviously, but he’s not the only one. We’ve got one or two footballers that we have to deal with and we have to make a decision on, so we will do that. 

“The process will be: understand the facts, not the hype, and then try and come to a fair decision on the basis of values, which is basically: is he a good guy or not, and answer could he play sincerely for Manchester United well and would we be comfortable with it and would the fans be comfortable with it?”