Manchester United set to pocket £13m from Greenwood sale as Atletico and Fenerbahce circle

Manchester United are set to receive between £11.9m and £13.3m from Mason Greenwood’s impending departure from Marseille, with Atletico Madrid and Fenerbahce both having agreed terms with the French club, according to ESPN. The exact windfall depends on Greenwood’s destination: a move to Atletico would trigger a €15.7m (£13.3m) sell-on payment to United, while a switch to Fenerbahce would yield €14m (£11.9m).

Greenwood joined Marseille in July 2024 for £26.6m after United decided against reintegrating him into their first-team squad following a period of intense public scrutiny. Serious charges against him — including attempted rape and assault — were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2023 after a key witness withdrew. United conducted their own internal investigation and concluded the evidence did not support the original charges, but acknowledged in a club statement that restarting his career at Old Trafford was not viable.

Since arriving in Ligue 1, the 23-year-old has been one of the division’s standout performers, scoring 48 goals in 81 appearances and drawing interest from clubs across Europe. That form has now made the sell-on clause — which attracted some criticism when the deal was structured — a meaningful financial asset for a United side operating under tight budgetary constraints.

The fee will provide a timely boost to United’s transfer kitty ahead of what is expected to be a significant summer window under Ruben Amorim. The club has become increasingly diligent about inserting sell-on and buy-back provisions into deals involving academy graduates, though the circumstances surrounding Greenwood’s departure make this a uniquely sensitive case.

A buy-back clause was also included in the Marseille agreement, but a return to Old Trafford has never been a realistic prospect. United are unlikely to publicly acknowledge the incoming funds, given the nature of the original case and the club’s stated position at the time of his sale.

In their August 2023 statement, United said: “All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United. It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford.”