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From the depths of despair to true delight: How Mason Greenwood made himself at home at Marseille
Newcastle United travel to Marseille tonight aiming for a fourth win in five Champions League games this season.
They will face former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood, who has put a turbulent chapter in his personal life behind him to reignite his career with Marseille.
Here, DAZN News' Ross Heppenstall analyses the stunning impact that 24-year-old Greenwood has made with Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
Background
Greenwood hails from Bradford in West Yorkshire and joined Manchester United’s academy aged six.
He progressed through the club’s vaunted youth ranks and made his senior debut in March 2019 as a substitute in a 3-1 Champions League win against Paris Saint Germain.
Aged 17 years and 156 days, he became the second-youngest player – behind Norman Whiteside – to represent United in a European competition and the youngest ever in the Champions League era.
Four days later, he made his Premier League debut from the bench in a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal before enjoying a breakthrough season in 2019/20, scoring 18 goals.
Greenwood made his England debut under Gareth Southgate in September 2020 – his only senior cap to date – and continued to score regularly for United.
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Arrest
Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of rape and assault.
The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023, citing the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light.
Greenwood strenuously denied the charges and later issued a statement in which he said he “did not do the things I was accused of” and that he was “brought up to know that violence or abuse in any relationship is wrong”.
He accepted that he made “mistakes in my relationship” and stated he intended “to be a better footballer, but most importantly a good father, a better person and to use my talents in a positive way on and off the pitch.”
Leaving Old Trafford, thriving in Spain and then France
In August 2023, Greenwood was loaned to Getafe for the 2023–24 La Liga season.
He scored 10 goals in 36 games and left United to join Marseille for £28million in July 2024.
The Yorkshireman was even more prolific in France, bagging 22 goals last season and netting 11 from 16 games already this term.
He has thrived under former Brighton boss De Zerbi, who arrived at Marseille in June last year and wasted no time signing Greenwood.
The mayor of Marseille Benoît Payan urged Marseille not to sign Greenwood, calling the forward's alleged past behaviour “unspeakable”.
But the deal was completed and Greenwood has not looked back since moving to the Stade Velodrome.
De Zerbi’s influence
Greenwood’s rehabilitation in the south of France has come under the watchful eye of De Zerbi and he enjoyed a dream start, scoring twice on his debut in a 5-1 victory over Brest.
He had a hand in all five goals and went on to score five goals in his first three games, immediately endearing himself to the club's supporters.
Greenwood ended an outstanding debut campaign at the French club with 21 goals in 34 appearances, finishing as their top scorer and prompting talk of a potential England recall.
De Zerbi said: “He’s a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price.
“He has found the right environment for him. We have lent him a hand and given him affection.
“He’s a little bit introverted but I know him and his family.
“It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.”
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A major danger to the Magpies
Greenwood plays on the right side of Marseille’s front three which includes ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
He is bang in form, scoring twice in last Friday’s 5-1 League 1 win at Nice, and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe knows Greenwood will pose a serious threat tonight.
Howe said: “He’s a very good attacker from the wide right but they use him in a clever way.
“If you want a combiner, with the players around him, he is that. His most dangerous work is when he drifts infield.
“But he’s not just a scorer, he’s a creator and he’s got a really good relationship with the players around him. We will have to defend well down that side of the pitch.”
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday 5
Tuesday 25 November
- Ajax vs Benfica
- Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise
- Bodø / Glimt vs Juventus
- Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
- Chelsea vs Barcelona
- Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Marseille vs Newcastle United
- Napoli vs Qarabağ
- Slavia Prague vs Athletic Club
Wednesday 26 November
- Copenhagen vs Kairat
- Pafos vs Monaco
- Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
- Atletico Madrid vs Inter Milan
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Atalanta
- Liverpool vs PSV
- Olympiakos vs Real Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham Hotspur
- Sporting CP vs Club Brugge
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