Greenwood 'scandalous' as 0/10 rating puts €50m move in doubt

Analysis

Robin Bairner | Editor

Mason Greenwood was not spared as every Marseille player was handed a 0/10 rating for their performance against Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday, damaging the Englishman’s prospects of landing a big summer move.

Rumours that Greenwood might leave OM in the summer have picked up in recent weeks, with Juventus and Atletico Madrid among the clubs linked with the controversial England international.

Current ETV

Mason Greenwood

F, M (R), AM (L)

Marseille

Mason Greenwood

F, M (R), AM (L)

Marseille

€45.4M

ETV Range

€40.8M - €49.9M

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Marseille have reportedly slapped a €50 million asking price on the head of the 24-year-old, of which around 40-50% would be due to Manchester United as part of the deal that brought him to France in 2024.

But a sharp decline in Greenwood’s form and attitude has cast doubts over the Stade Velodrome club’s ability to raise such a fee.

Greenwood was ‘scandalous from start to finish’

Marseille suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss to relegation-threatened Nantes on Saturday, effectively ending their challenge for a Champions League spot, prompting La Provence to have all 11 players and under-fire head coach Habib Beye 0/10 ratings.

Greenwood, who has recently been benched over his questionable attitude, was destroyed by the paper:

“We now understand better why the enfant terrible of English football had a little spell on the bench last Sunday. If players are often accused of lacking effort, the attitude of Greenwood displayed this perfectly.

“Scandalous from start to finish, he thought it was okay to walk after his countless ball losses, complain when his teammates didn't pass to him, or act like he was in a circus by attempting unnecessary gestures for his own personal amusement, while his club's financial future is at stake. In other circumstances, he might have deserved half a point for at least managing to tie his boots.”

With just one of seven dribbles completed and 17 turnovers, this critique was not misplaced.

L’Equipe also pointed out Greenwood’s poor attitude, stating: “During one of the final plays of the first half in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Nantes, the Englishman drifted out of position and managed to find space on the left flank, but none of his teammates passed him the ball.

“He then sighed heavily, threw his arms up in the air, turned towards the bench to express his displeasure, failed to get back into position for the ensuing counter-attack, and returned to the locker room at the half-time whistle, before heading to the dressing room first, head down and shirt pulled up.”

RMC pundit Walid Acherchour was prompted to make an X-rated rant on the player stating on the After Foot show: “I was torn to shreds when I said Marseille would be better next season without him. He's a leader who doesn't unite, he has no soul... This guy s**** on the pitch for 90 minutes, he sulks like a spoiled child.”

Greenwood’s Marseille relationships have disintegrated

Greenwood’s personal relationships at the club seem to have completely collapsed since the departure of Roberto De Zerbi in February, with tension particularly fraught between him and director of football Medhi Benatia. Several sources report they have not been on speaking terms for several weeks.

Beye called out his senior players after the game: “If I protect them today, I’ll look like a liar once everyone has seen the match, the behaviour, the effort, the commitment… We completely fell apart, and our attitude isn’t beyond reproach. It’s been a long and difficult season. And, for some, perhaps that extra bit of spirit is gone…”

Greenwood wasn’t named, but it was clear he was included in the criticism. He was, after all, Marseille’s best player last season with 25 goals and 10 assists. He was even Ligue 1 top scorer for a period this term but has since been overhauled by Rennes’ Esteban Lepaul, with his six-game scoreless run the poorest he has experienced in France.

Given his difficult personal history – charges of attempted rape and assault against him were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2023 – any move that Greenwood makes will be heavily scrutinised. If he wants another big move, his behaviour will need to be flawless. At Marseille in recent weeks, that has not been the case.