Mason Greenwood's 18-month exile from football could end with a loan move to Atalanta.... as Manchester United look to sign the Italian side's Danish hot shot, Rasmus Hojlund.
Manchester United are close to finishing their internal investigation into Greenwood, who has not played for them since January 2022.
United’s first-team squad are said to have been split over Greenwood's possible return to the club after the CPS dropped all criminal charges against him – one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count o assault occasioning actual bodily harm – in February.
United are close to finishing their investigation into Greenwood, who has not played for them since January 2022. One option open to United is sending the forward out on loan, with the Serie A outfit understood to be interested in taking the 21-year-old striker.
With United trying to sign Atalanta's £40million-rated forward Hojland, a loan option involving Greenwood going the other way could help facilitate that deal. Ex-United boss Jose Mourinho, now at Roma, is also said to want Greenwood, with a loan option now seemingly the preferred option of the Old Trafford hierarchy for the forward.
United are ramping up their pursuit of Denmark international Hojlund. The Red Devils are intent on signing a new central striker this summer following the expiration of Wout Weghorst's loan arrangement – leaving Anthony Martial as the only recognised senior player in that position, with the Frenchman’s future at Old Trafford unclear.
Hojlund has impressed in his debut season in Bergamo having joined from Sturm Graz last summer. He bagged nine goals in Serie A while also impressing for his nation in the European Championships qualifiers.
It is understood that boss Erik ten Hag prefers a move for Hojlund over Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani. United transfer chiefs believed Harry Kane was unattainable this summer while the price tag of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen was prohibitive.
Ten Hag is reported to have spoken to Greenwood for the first time after the forward was cleared of the charges, in which the player was said to have been informed that any decision over his future would be taken by the club and not the management team.
Greenwood remains under contract at Old Trafford until the summer of 2025. He has scored 35 goals in 129 appearances for United having made his senior debut in the Champions League in March 2019, and won a single England cap in 2020.
