Al-Ahli attempt last-minute hijack of Fenerbahce's £34m move for Mason Greenwood

Al-Ahli have made a late attempt to hijack Fenerbahce’s move for Mason Greenwood, with the Saudi club’s head coach Matthias Jaissle reportedly calling the 24-year-old directly on Sunday to make his case. Despite the approach, Greenwood’s mooted transfer to the Istanbul club is described as being at an advanced stage.

Turkish reports had indicated Fenerbahce were close to signing the former Manchester United forward for €40m (£34m) plus €2m in bonuses. According to ESPN, Atletico Madrid have also agreed a separate deal with Marseille, valuing a potential move at €37m (£31.5m) — a figure that would net United slightly more through their sell-on clause, given Greenwood’s previous loan spell at Getafe while still registered at Old Trafford.

United sold Greenwood to Marseille in July 2024 for £26.7m, securing a sell-on clause widely understood to be between 40 and 50 per cent of any future fee. That means a move to Fenerbahce would return approximately €14m (£11.9m) to Old Trafford, while a switch to Atletico would bring in around €15.7m (£13.3m). Because Greenwood came through United’s academy, the original Marseille fee was recorded as pure profit under Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules — an accounting benefit that would extend to any sell-on income.

Atletico head coach Diego Simeone is said to have personally requested the signing as he looks to reinforce his attack following the departures of Antoine Griezmann and Nico Gonzalez, and the expected exit of Julian Alvarez.

Greenwood has been in exceptional form since joining Marseille, scoring 48 goals in 81 appearances. His performances prompted former Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi to make bold claims about his ceiling.

“He has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or,” De Zerbi said. “I don’t see any other players in Europe at the same level. It will be up to him to decide whether he wants to do everything he can to fight for it or not. I would like him to be more consistent — he needs to press with more intensity and manage the ball better when the team is in trouble.”

With three clubs now in the picture and United’s financial interest tied to the outcome, the destination Greenwood chooses this summer carries significant consequences beyond his own career.