Marseille mayor says club will be ‘covered in shame’ if they sign Mason Greenwood from Manchester United

The mayor of Marseille has urged the Ligue 1 club to reconsider its decision to sign Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood.

After spending a season on loan at Getafe, the 22-year-old’s long-term future is finally set to be resolved.

Greenwood was pictured back in Manchester earlier this week and trained with his former teammate Shola Shoretire in an effort to maintain his fitness during pre-season.

The England international hasn’t played for his boyhood club since January 2022 following his arrest for attempted rape, controlling behaviour and assault – charges that were subsequently dropped.

After impressing for Getafe, a host of European clubs have enquired over Greenwood’s availability.

Lazio and Juventus appeared to be the early frontrunners, but Marseille have are on the verge of winning the race.

According to The Athletic, an agreement has been reached that would see Marseille pay the Red Devils a fee of €31.6million (£26.7m) – comprising €27.6m (£23.3m) fixed and €4m (£3.4m) in add-ons – as well as a sizeable share of any future sale.

The impending transfer has not gone down well with everyone, however, including local mayor Benoit Payan who sent a passionate message to Marseille chief executive Pablo Longoria, imploring him to rethink the deal.

Speaking to French radio station RMC Sport, Payan said: ‘Greenwood’s behaviour is unspeakable, unacceptable. Hitting his wife… I saw images that deeply shocked me. Abusing his wife in this way is unbecoming of a man and he cannot have his place on this team.

‘The values of OM and Marseille are anything but that in fact. It’s a shame. I will ask Pablo Longoria not to recruit Greenwood. I don’t want my club to be covered with the shame of someone who hits his wife.

‘Olympique de Marseille is more than a club. It is a spirit, and there is no place for those who behave in this way, for those who commit this kind of crime and offence.

‘It is unbearable. I cannot imagine for a second that Pablo Longoria would make this major mistake.’