De Zerbi targets Mason Greenwood reunion at Tottenham amid fan opposition

Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly targeting a move for Mason Greenwood as he looks to reshape Tottenham Hotspur’s attack, with transfers journalist Nico Schira claiming the Italian manager wants to reunite with the 24-year-old Marseille forward at his new club.

De Zerbi and Greenwood worked together at Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1, where the former Manchester United forward established himself as one of the division’s most productive attackers following his permanent departure from Old Trafford in 2024. That productive relationship appears to be the driving force behind De Zerbi’s reported interest in bringing Greenwood back to the Premier League.

Any move would arrive against a charged backdrop at Spurs. When De Zerbi was appointed, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust and groups including Women of the Lane publicly criticised his hiring, citing comments he had made in France in defence of Greenwood — calling the forward a ‘good guy’ who had ‘paid a heavy price.’ Fan groups labelled those remarks ‘ill-judged’ and ‘deeply offensive.’ De Zerbi subsequently issued a public clarification during his first club interview, apologising for causing offence and stating he never intended to downplay the issue of violence against women.

Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 and charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. In February 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges, citing the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new material that meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. Manchester United and Greenwood subsequently agreed that he should rebuild his career elsewhere, leading first to a loan at Getafe and then a permanent transfer to Marseille.

With De Zerbi now seeking to put his stamp on the Tottenham squad, Greenwood has reportedly emerged as a priority target. The prospective transfer is expected to face intense scrutiny from supporters, though De Zerbi remains a firm admirer of the forward’s on-pitch qualities as the north London club prepare for what is shaping up to be a significant summer of recruitment.