It has emerged that there were concerns from some at Manchester United about Mason Greenwood’s ‘ego’ and attitude before his arrest on Sunday.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a man in his 20s was in custody for questioning on suspicion of rape and assault after a woman uploaded images to social media depicting physical violence which she said had been caused by Greenwood.
United had earlier said that the player would not return to training or play in games ‘until further notice’, while Greenwood is yet to espond to the allegations.
The 20-year-old appeared destined for an incredible career in football, but the Daily Mail claims there had been some concerns raised about him even before Sunday’s incident after a host of controversies.
Even before he signed a new £75,000-a-week contract last year, Greenwood’s ‘ego’ was a major concern at the club – something only heightened when he threatened to change sponsors during talks with Nike recently when he demanded parity with some of their biggest earners.
It was something which was also picked up on while he was on international duty with England, with his quarantine rule break in Iceland in 2020 – when he left with Phil Foden to visit two women in a hotel – not the only reason for his exile from Southgate’s squad.
According to the Mail’s report, Greenwood told the England manager he would rather not be picked for teams if he was not going to play – another sign of his ‘ego becoming a problem’ particularly given he was just a teenager at the time.
The England star also has an uneasy relationship with some of his teammates, notably Cristiano Ronaldo, with the two struggling to connect on or off the pitch, while some players are believed to have unfollowed him on social media.
United also had to speak to Greenwood in the past about his attitude in training and his time-keeping, with his absence from a Champions League tie against PSG in October 2020 as a result of being reprimanded.
The Mail claim that, during lockdown, there were reports that Greenwood hosted parties at a rented property with neighbours complaining about the noise.
But, all of United’s previous issues pale in comparison to the allegations which were made against Greenwood on Sunday, with the player suspended until further notice.
