Mason Greenwood Shines in Ligue 1 as Future Ballon d’Or Contender

Mason Greenwood has made an impressive start to his career at Marseille, scoring 21 goals in Ligue 1 during his debut season, tying for the top spot with Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele. The 24-year-old continues to demonstrate his prowess in the current season, netting 12 goals in 18 matches, placing him at the pinnacle of Ligue 1’s scoring charts, ahead of Strasbourg’s Joaquin Panichelli. Notably, he also achieved a hat-trick in Marseille’s recent 9-0 victory over Bayern in the Coupe de France round of 16.

Roberto De Zerbi, Greenwood’s coach, has expressed high hopes for the forward, suggesting he could be a future Ballon d’Or winner. De Zerbi stated, “I see him every day; he has immense potential. I don’t observe any other player in Europe at his level. He possesses the capability to win the Ballon d’Or, but it will ultimately be up to him to decide how hard he wants to fight for it. With the qualities he has been endowed with, I believe he is deserving of such recognition. I would like to see him exhibit more consistency and manage the ball better during challenging moments. He has the ability to retain possession, which would assist the team in advancing.”

Greenwood’s journey began in Manchester United’s academy, where he eventually rose to the first team. However, his career faced turbulence when he was suspended in January 2022 following his arrest on charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive behavior. Although the charges were later discontinued due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and emerging evidence, Greenwood parted ways with Old Trafford in July 2024.

According to Football Insider, Manchester United has entertained the possibility of activating a buy-back clause in Greenwood’s contract, which would allow the club to re-sign the forward for less than his market value. As of now, there has been no definitive decision from Manchester United regarding Greenwood’s future, especially with the club opting to refrain from strengthening their squad in the January transfer window, preferring to wait until summer for potential transfers. Changes within the club, including the departure of Ruben Amorim and the appointment of Michael Carrick as caretaker manager, have also influenced their transfer strategies, particularly with the return of players such as Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui from AFCON.

Marseille president Pablo Longoria has indicated that the club could enhance their stake in Greenwood’s economic rights contingent on qualifying for the Champions League again. Manchester United retains a sell-on percentage, which would decrease to 35% if Marseille secures a position in Europe’s premier club competition. Longoria mentioned in a recent news conference, “As for the contractual situation, OM currently holds 60% of the player’s economic rights and 100% of his sporting rights, with the potential to increase this to 65% based on Champions League qualification. We are very pleased with Mason’s progress. We recognize his talent, and the work that Roberto De Zerbi is doing with him is extraordinary.” Currently, Marseille sits in third place in the Ligue 1 standings, trailing Lens by five points.

In addition to his success at Marseille, Greenwood has garnered interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, as well as Spanish giants Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Speculation regarding his future is likely to persist if he maintains his remarkable form under De Zerbi’s guidance. Greenwood is bound to Marseille until 2029.