Mason Greenwood fears ‘dead’ Ronaldo could block Saudi move after ‘difficult’ Man Utd relationship comes to light
Mason Greenwood and Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Man Utd, 2021
Mason Greenwood could reportedly be prevented from joining a Saudi club this summer by his former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 21-year-old saw his Red Devil’s contract terminated on Monday after the club completed a long investigation into his actions, despite charges against him being dropped.
Greenwood recently released a statement claiming he ‘did not do the things he was accused of.’ He is now a free agent and is searching for a new club.
He scored 35 goals in 129 appearances for Man Utd, so there is no doubt he can be a quality player on his day. The ex-England international hasn’t played since January 2022, though, so it’s unclear whether he is currently match-ready.
Greenwood has previously been linked with clubs in Turkey and Italy. Recent reports have suggested, however, that Saudi Arabia could be an option.
Wherever he ends up, the club will undoubtedly face backlash for their decision to bring him in. Now, reports suggest Saudi clubs could be put off signing Greenwood by their league’s star player – Ronaldo.
‘Dead’ CR7 could block Greenwood Saudi switch
According to the Sun, Greenwood is fearful that Ronaldo could prevent him from joining a Saudi club this summer. That is because he previously described the five-time Balon d’Or winner as ‘dead’ during his time at Real Madrid.
The youngster used the term in a period when Ronaldo’s form was uncharacteristically poor. The comment came to light in March, three months after the 38-year-old ditched Man Utd for Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo was reportedly ‘furious’ when he learned of Greenwood’s comments and has urged Saudi Pro League bosses to steer clear of signing him.
“Ronaldo isn’t known for his thick skin,” a source told the Sun.
“He was really annoyed at what Greenwood said — but he has good reason to be when you consider what Ronaldo has achieved in his career and where Greenwood finds himself.
“Greenwood had his nose put out of joint when Ronaldo signed for United because he ended up playing a lot less than he had hoped for, so their relationship was difficult.”
“Ronaldo is treated as royalty in Saudi and what he says goes. He would have enough influence there to kibosh clubs from signing Greenwood if he wanted to.”
The Sun add that Saudi club chiefs are indeed ‘wary’ of sanctioning a move for Greenwood. His options seem to be becoming more and more limited as time drags on. It remains to be seen who, if anyone, is willing to take a punt on the attacker.
