Mason Greenwood cannot continue his career in England after Manchester United’s decision to cut ties with the forward, according to Chris Sutton.
The club announced earlier this week that they would not be bringing Greenwood back into the fold, following the conclusion of their internal investigation into the player.
The striker was arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of domestic violence and sexual assault, and was also suspended by the club at the time. He was then charged in October, but those charges were dropped in February of this year, due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new evidence.
United had reportedly considered bringing Greenwood back, per a report in The Athletic, but that decision was reversed after a fierce backlash from fans. Chief executive Richard Arnold has even been told that he should consider his position at Old Trafford, while Gary Neville condemned the club’s handling of the situation.
Sutton believes United have come to the correct conclusion, although he believes it will be impossible for the one-time England international to return to football in this country.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the former Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea striker said: “Manchester United only had one decision to make and they got there in the end. It was the only decision (they could make), the sensible decision.”
Asked if Greenwood could restart his career in England, Sutton replied: “No, absolutely not. The pressure on his team-mates and the scrutiny on whichever club he went to, that’s a no-no.
“He will have to move abroad and just try to repair his career. He’s a talented boy, he’s lost his way, he’s made mistakes as he said in his statement. Big mistakes, and he’s got to just… it’s about small steps.
“He’s got to try to get himself back into the fold, but he cannot do it in this country.”