“I believe it’s the moment to reintroduce him to fill in for Jadon Sancho and the injured Antony. We have no alternative. I’ve had conversations with INEOS and personally contacted Mason Greenwood, instructing him to prepare for his return,” expressed Erik ten Hag as he conveys his stance on the potential decision for Mason Greenwood’s comeback to Manchester United.

Reports suggest that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has taken a clear stance on Mason Greenwood’s potential return, as decisions regarding the player’s future are being prepared by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS. Greenwood is expected to rejoin United in the upcoming summer, with three possible outcomes on the horizon, and Ten Hag has already indicated his preferred course of action.

The 22-year-old forward has been absent from United’s lineup since January 2022, following his arrest and subsequent charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling and coercive behavior, all of which he denied. The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February of the following year, citing the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new material.

After a six-month internal investigation by the club, then-chief executive Richard Arnold reportedly communicated his intentions to reintegrate Greenwood into the first-team squad for the current season. However, faced with both internal and external criticism regarding the academy graduate’s return, there was a change of plans. Greenwood was swiftly loaned out to Getafe on deadline day.

During his stint in Spain, Greenwood has made a noteworthy impact, tallying five goals and four assists in 17 appearances for Getafe. His performances have reportedly attracted interest from major La Liga clubs, including Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid. As decisions loom over Greenwood’s future, Ten Hag’s stance becomes a key factor in shaping the player’s next chapter at Manchester United.

The situation has prompted questions about whether Manchester United’s new sporting structure will adhere to Richard Arnold’s initial plan of providing Mason Greenwood a second chance at Old Trafford. As the summer approaches, United faces the decision of either controversially welcoming back their former No. 11, generating a transfer fee through a permanent sale, or loaning him out again with the possibility of him leaving for free in 2025.

Reports suggest that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, the club’s prospective owners, will delay any decision until later in the season, pending the Premier League’s approval of the minority investment and their official assumption of control over the football operations.

According to previous reports, Erik ten Hag, the United manager, is inclined towards the first option, aligning with his alleged preference from last year when Greenwood’s future was under consideration. Reports from August indicated that Ten Hag supported Richard Arnold’s initial decision to reintegrate Greenwood into the senior squad. Football director John Murtough was also reported to share the same stance at the conclusion of the investigation, during which Arnold expressed his satisfaction that Greenwood wasn’t guilty of the accusations.

Ten Hag, who arrived after Greenwood’s arrest during Ralf Rangnick’s interim tenure, is yet to work with the player directly. United has not refuted the reported stance, and the promising performances by the Bradford-born forward at Getafe are unlikely to have altered the Dutchman’s perspective on the potential for Greenwood’s return to Old Trafford.