In July 2024, Mason Greenwood joined Olympique de Marseille from Manchester United for 30 million euros excluding bonuses. A transfer that caused a lot of talk, particularly in France.
Indeed, after his return to the banks of Irwell, following a season-long loan to Getafe, the English striker was still sidelined from the Red Devils group. A direct consequence of the accusations of domestic violence brought against him. bPersona non grata at Old Trafford, Greenwood finally chose to bounce back at OM.
Longoria explains
However, this recruitment, far from being unanimous, even provoked the reaction of the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, who firmly opposed it. “We gathered a lot of information from the different clubs he played for to understand the situation, what had happened and so on. And I asked myself: Do I feel comfortable with the information I have? And my answer was yes, absolutely”explained Marseille President Pablo Longoria. “At that point you take advantage of the situation in the market. He is extremely talented, he plays for you and you have the opportunity to take advantage of circumstances that have happened in the past. As long as you think you're making the right decision, okay, let's do it. »
“Did we all agree?” There was an individual disagreement, just one person. But ultimately, when the decision is made…”recognized the Marseille leader, before adding: “Honestly, for me, it’s very simple. In any communication strategy, when you have doubts and you force a situation, you will always have a very bad communication strategy, because you will not be credible. Just tell the truth. Be transparent about why you are making this decision, explaining the entire process that led you to make this decision. »
