Mason Greenwood might be on the move again. And this time, it’s Turkey calling.
Fenerbahce has sent two members of its football committee to France to finalize a transfer for the Marseille forward, according to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu. The 24-year-old former Manchester United player has been at Marseille since last summer, but it looks like his stay in Ligue 1 could be short-lived.
Greenwood hasn’t played for England’s national team since January 2020, and he hasn’t played for Manchester United since his arrest in January 2022. Charges including attempted rape and assault were dropped in February 2023, but the backlash was enough to keep Premier League clubs from touching him. United eventually loaned him to Getafe for the 2023-24 season before selling him to Marseille last July.
Why Fenerbahce is willing to take the risk
Turkish clubs have been less concerned with the PR side of things. Greenwood scored 12 goals and added 3 assists in 26 appearances for Marseille this past season, which is decent production for a guy who missed nearly two years of competitive football. Fenerbahce, coached by Jose Mourinho, sees a chance to add a young forward with Premier League pedigree without paying the kind of fee an English club would have to shell out.
Marseille reportedly paid around €26 million for Greenwood. It’s unclear what Fenerbahce is offering, but the fact that the club sent officials directly to France suggests negotiations are past the talk stage.
Mourinho has never been shy about signing controversial players. He brought in Greenwood’s former United teammate Eric Bailly at Roma, and he’s worked with plenty of players who had baggage. If Greenwood can find his form from his early days at Old Trafford, this could be a steal for Fenerbahce. But there’s a reason he’s on his third club in three years.
Greenwood scored 35 goals in 129 appearances for Manchester United. He broke through at 17 and looked like a future star before everything fell apart. At Getafe, he showed flashes of that ability. At Marseille, he was more inconsistent. Fenerbahce is betting that a change of scenery and Mourinho’s system can unlock the player he was supposed to be.
No official announcement has been made yet. But with committee members already in France, this one could wrap up in the next few days.
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