Mason Greenwood 'will never play' for Manchester United again amid rape investigation

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood appears to be reigned to the idea that his career with the Red Devils has come to an end. He initially hoped to be back in action after the charges of rape and assault were dropped against him in February, but that has not materialised after the club's decision to push forward with an internal investigation.

It may be remembered that Greenwood, who had also been capped by England before his suspension, was arrested in January 2022. A woman believed to be his former girlfriend had taken to social media to accuse him of attempted rape, assault and "repeatedly engaging" in coercive and controlling behaviour.

He was expected to stand trial late last year, but the case encountered problems after the withdrawal of key witnesses. Eventually, the Crown Prosecution Service was forced to drop the charges in February this year due to the lack of possibility of conviction. In other words, Greenwood has neither been convicted not acquitted.

As a result of the collapse of the legal proceedings, Manchester United announced that they have decided to pursue an internal investigation into the matter. As such, Greenwood remained suspended from rejoining his teammates in training and has not been available to be called up.

The 21-year-old promising young star has therefore been away from football for a year and four months now, and a source told The Sun that he knows his time with the club has ended even though his contract does not expire until 2025.

Greenwood may have been out of action, but he continues to earn £70,000 per week from his existing contract. The club has not revealed its plans, but it is clear that the higher ups are not keen on causing a PR scandal by letting him play unless they are certain that he is not guilty of the accusations lodged against him. Unfortunately, that may be harder than expected if the accuser herself refuses to cooperate.

"Mason believes he's finished at United. He's sat at home kicking his heels and very frustrated. He wants to get back playing football but realises his situation is very complicated and it's his own doing," said the source, adding that the youngster is determined to play again but knows that he will have to do it elsewhere.

Unfortunately for Greenwood he has been unable to shake off the accusations that came to light after the woman took to social media to relay details of incidents that she claims happened between November 2018 and October 2021.

She claimed to have experienced physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the footballer, which led to him immediate suspension from club duties. Apart from that, he also lost a big endorsement deal with sportswear giant Nike.

The personal and professional losses have been massive, and with the case having been left in limbo, he is now left with the possibility of having the issue hang over his head for the foreseeable future.

United should come up with a decision soon, as it seems unreasonable for them to let their internal investigation drag on for much longer. They may face backlash whichever direction they take, and it remains to be seen what will happen in the coming months. With the club also in the middle of a possible change in ownership, the issue might fall on the lap of the club's new owners.

The final bids are already coming in, and Greenwood would be wise to watch the developments closely. It is unclear if any clubs are interested in signing the young player should the Red Devils drop him. With a contract still in place, a move may also prove to be complicated unless one side is prepared to take a massive financial hit.