Manchester United paid Mason Greenwood's full wages for 18 months of suspension

On 30 January 2022, after images and videos were posted online, Greater Manchester Police arrested a man in his 20s in connection with allegations about Mason Greenwood, and Manchester United announced the striker 'will not return to training or play matches until further notice'. Eight days later Nike ended its sponsorship with a two-sentence statement: 'Mason Greenwood is no longer a Nike athlete.'

Charges followed in October 2022. On 2 February 2023 the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the proceedings, saying key witnesses had withdrawn their involvement and new material had emerged, so there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. United's suspension had by then run for more than a year, with the player on full pay throughout.

On 21 August 2023, after a six-month internal investigation, United announced he would leave the club by mutual agreement. The club said the material posted online 'did not provide a full picture', that he had not committed the offences for which he was originally charged, and that it had been agreed he would resume his career away from Old Trafford. His contract ran to 2025. On 1 September Getafe signed him on a season-long loan, paying a small part of his wages while United paid the remainder.

United suspended the player but not the contract: 18 months of full pay bought time to investigate, while Nike exited in eight days and two sentences.

United suspended the player but not the contract: 18 months of full pay bought the club time to investigate, and the bill was due either way.

Nike's exit took eight days and two sentences; United's took 18 months and a six-month internal review — the faster exit was also the cheaper one.

The club's statement said it consulted 'key stakeholders', including sponsors, in reaching the decision — the sponsors had a vote in how long the suspension lasted.

A club can suspend a player indefinitely, but not the salary: 18 months of waiting for the case to resolve cost United full wages either way, and the sponsor had priced its exit in eight days.

Greenwood spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Getafe while his United contract ran to 2025, with United paying the remainder of his wages. The mutual-agreement statement ended the matter at the club: United and the player agreed his career would continue away from Old Trafford.