Mason Greenwood still looks unlikely to ever play for Manchester United again as the true reasons behind his loan move to Getafe came to light.

The 21-year-old forward is looking to rebuild his career in Spain having been allowed to sign for the Madrid-based club on a loan deal for the duration of the season. And while the deal contains a clause allowing a recall to United in January, it is expected that the once-capped England attacker will see out the campaign in Spain.

Greenwood will be hoping that a stint in LaLiga may help him rebuild his reputation as a person as well as a footballer. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the athlete is determined to seize that second chance.

He hasn’t actually played in a professional game of football since his arrest in January 2022, which brought his life and football career to an abrupt end.

While the Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges against him in February of this year as a result of the absence of a key witness, Greenwood was unable to resume his career right away while United conducted their own investigation into his conduct.

Their attempts to reintegrate him ultimately resulted in a U-turn due to strong public opposition, led by our own Football 365, which made it impossible for the player to play for United once more.

And after a last-minute dash for his services, Getafe was ultimately successful in securing him. Many people are still upset with the LaLiga team for conducting their raid. The small LaLiga survivors were happy to take a chance by signing the contentious forward, as this story here describes in detail.

Mason Greenwood unlikely to play for Man Utd again

Indeed, the LaLiga club simply saw an opportunity they could not let pass them by. Founded in just 1983 – the club recently celebrated their 40th birthday – they often struggle to compete in LaLiga, particularly as the capital city’s poor third cousin.

Nonetheless, survive in LaLiga they do and the chance to sign Greenwood means he is already being branded as the Getafe GOAT.

Simply speaking, Getafe saw their chance and took it.

And while the move is a chance for Greenwood to get a career back on track, it is also seen as a major opportunity for United to net a return on a once-£40m-plus rated asset they were seemingly willing to write off just a year ago.

At this point in time, it remains unlikely he will ever play for the Red Devils again. But what United hope the year in Spain will do is show some big clubs that Greenwood is worth investing in – the Getafe PR campaign around his arrival is all monitored carefully by United – and will ultimately help the Premier League side gain a long-term return on the player they have coached since the age of six.

United hopes that his year in Getafe would persuade those who had second thoughts about signing him that, despite the problem, he is a talented player who is still worth signing. For several clubs that had all looked at him, he was called a PR nightmare.

So far, the early indications are encouraging. The Getafe coaches are said to be quite impressed by his commitment, level of fitness, and desire to return to the game. The Sun also claims that they have modified their initial plan to ease him in. So much so that when they play Osasuna on Sunday to kick off their season, their coach, Jose Bordalas, might possibly give him a full debut.

Despite arriving just 10 days ago and having not played senior football for 20 months, Getafe reckon the star’s match fitness is not too far off expectations.

Getafe sporting director happy to take Greenwood risk

Explaining their reasons for signing him, Getafe’s sporting director Ruben Reyes is only thinking about what Greenwood can do on the pitch.

“We knew he was a player who was out there. Working on it, gathering information bit by bit, we saw there could be a possibility and in the end we were able to convince him to come here, to trust in us,” Reyes said. “We spoke to his family, to his dad, for a long time. We’re very satisfied.”

Reyes insists Getafe are planning to have Greenwood for the “whole season” despite stressing there were ‘conditions attached’ to the loan.

Asked if there were any reservations over the deal, Reyes stated: “There is nothing to say because the person who had to speak has had their say, and that’s a judge [sic]: the highest authority. We did what we do: sign players that are available to sign.”

Reyes also insists his side had no concerns over a public backlash and also claims they feel under no obligation to protect the player from such repercussions.

“There is no need for us to handle anything,” he added. “A judge has spoken, and clearly. We have signed a footballer, just the same as Diego Rico and Óscar Rodríguez, and that’s it.”

After Sunday’s home clash against Osasuna, Getafe then face successive away days against Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao.

Greenwood is contracted to United until summer 2025.