MANCHESTER United are facing a worst-case scenario if the transfer window deadline passes without a spot for Mason Greenwood.
The Old Trafford club cut ties with the 21-year-old striker last week after being suspended following his arrest in January last year.
ReutersGreenwood playing for United in February 2021[/caption]
ReutersGreenwood’s last hope of a return to football remains abroad[/caption]
Greenwood had reportedly been set to be welcomed back into the fold before SunSport exclusively reported United had made a U-turn due to the volatile reaction.
Other English clubs are said to similarly fear a public backlash if they were to provide Greenwood with a return to the pitch.
The transfer window deadline will pass for English clubs at 11pm tonight, with initial inquiries from domestic teams not followed up.
Failure to offload the £75,000-a-week Greenwood will leave United facing a bill of up to £8million.
This is because he still has two years left to run on his contract, with the club having the option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Instead, the striker has been left with no alternative but to move to an overseas club.
And if United cannot also mutually agree on cancelling Greenwood’s deal, his options are slim.
This is because most of Europe’s top leagues also shut their transfer windows on Friday.
The Scottish deadline passes at midnight, while it is 4pm in Germany and 6pm in Italy.
Clubs in Spain and France will no longer be able to sign players from 11pm and 10pm respectively.
It was reported this morning that Greenwood had been thrown a last-ditch lifeline by top European club Lazio, but this looks increasingly unlikely as the deadline approaches.
There have also been no inquiries from Saudi Arabia, where teams have already hoovered up Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema this season.
The deadline in Saudi Arabia passes on September 7.
One of his last remaining hopes would lie with Besiktas, who are understood to be one of two Turkish clubs interested in opening the door for his return.
There is no rush to get a deal done by the time the UK transfer window closes at 11pm on Friday because the Turkish deadline is not until September 15.
Fans in football-mad Turkey are unlikely to be put off by the allegations made against Greenwood if he recreates his United form on the pitch, according to Besiktas supporter Orunc Kamiloglu.
The fan added: “He hasn’t been convicted of any crime so why should it make a difference.
“If he plays well in the black and white jersey, the fans will love him and take him to their hearts.”
Greenwood “mutually agreed” to leave United on August 21 following backlash over his potential return to the squad after his arrest for attempted rape and sexual assault.
He was charged in October last year but all charges were dropped in February by the Crown Prosecution Service.
In a statement United said they “recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career” at the club.
They said his exit was the “most appropriate” result from the saga, adding: “We will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome.”
GettyGreenwood pictured leaving Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court on November 21 last year[/caption]