Mason Greenwood joins Spanish minnows Getafe despite rape case issues

La Liga side Getafe made a surprise last-minute move to sign former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood. The Spanish minnows made the announcement on transfer deadline day via a video shared on their social media accounts.

The video shows some of the club's supporters gathered around the Alfonso Perez stadium waiting for updates. The club's social media team was obviously on hand to capture the moment as the news finally came through confirming Greenwood's signing. The fans received the news as cameras were waiting to catch their reaction.

As soon as the move was confirmed, the supporters started jumping around and chanting in delight.

Manchester United will still cover Greenwood's wages

Strictly speaking, the signing is a sweet deal for Getafe as they won't be paying a transfer fee for the forward. Furthermore, the deal is considered to be a loan even though Manchester United initially announced the mutual decision to part ways with Greenwood. However, it is understood that they will still cover the majority of the 21-year-old's wages for the season, with Getafe only making a small contribution.

Earlier this month, the Red Devils announced that the 18-month suspension will finally come to an end but Greenwood will not be reinstated into Erik ten Hag's roster. Instead, the club decided to part ways with the player, but now it seems that it does not mean that his contract has been ripped up.

United said in a statement that despite their decision, they will continue to support the young striker as he rebuilds his career outside the club.

What happened with Greenwood's case?

Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 after a former girlfriend came out on social media to accuse him of attempted rape and assault. He was immediately suspended by the Premier League side, but they left the case in the hands of the police.

He was formally charged later that year, and was awaiting trial when the case suddenly took a turn. His alleged victim and several key witnesses decided not to cooperate, leaving the Crown Prosecution Service with no choice but to drop the charges. In February earlier this year, they confirmed that the charges have been dropped because there was no longer a realistic chance of conviction given that the accuser and witnesses were no longer cooperative.

Due to the lack of legal resolution to the case, United did not immediately reinstate Greenwood. Instead, they launched an internal probe into the matter, which left the player in limbo for another six months.

The club finally made a decision amid massive pressure from the public

United announced earlier this summer that the probe has reached its conclusion, and amid rumours that the player will soon be reinstated, protests erupted. Fans took to the stands and to social media share their feelings, with many making it clear that the player is no longer welcome. Even celebrities weighed in, with some pointing out that Greenwood had not actually been acquitted in the case despite his insistence that he was "cleared of all charges."

Needless to say, it became clear that a reinstatement would become a PR storm for United, and they eventually decided to part ways with the player.

Getafe turns a blind eye despite Rubiales controversy

Greenwood was unable to find a club within England, which was his top priority. He was linked with a possible big money move to the Saudi Pro League, but even they did not seem to be interested in the dealing with the backlash.

It was earlier reported that only a club in Albania remained interested, but now it has emerged that Getafe faced competition from the likes of Serie A side Lazio as well as Olympiacos and Red Star Belgrade.

Nevertheless, he is now heading to Getafe despite the fact that Spanish football is currently in the middle of a sexual abuse controversy. It may be remembered that Royal Spanish Federation president Luis Rubiales has been suspended following his unsolicited kiss on striker Jenni Hermoso during the Women's World Cup awarding ceremony.

Getafe appears unfazed by Greenwood's rape case, and it seems that many of their fans are also brushing it off. It remains to be seen if there will be a pushback in the coming days, and whether or not his performances on the pitch will pull wool over the eyes of his detractors.

The club will face La Liga giants Real Madrid on Saturday, but Greenwood is not expected to suit up until next week.