The Manchester United forward has secured a permanent exit from the club.

Manchester United have confirmed the permanent departure of Mason Greenwood to Marseille in a deal worth up to €31.6m (£26.6m).

The forward, who last played for United in January 2022, has signed a five-year deal with the French club and a sizeable sell-on percentage of any future has been included in the deal.

Greenwood was arrested and subsequently charged with attempted rape, assault and coercive control in 2022, although the case was dropped in February 2023. The 22-year-old has always denied the allegations against him but did admit that he had ‘made mistakes’ in a statement released last year.

United had hoped to reintegrate the academy product into the first-team picture last summer following an extensive internal review, but abandoned those plans due to public backlash and a fan protest. He spent last season on loan at Getafe and scored 10 goals in 36 appearances.

Greenwood returned to Carrington last week to discuss his future, and the aim among United chiefs this summer has always been to secure a permanent exit. That has now been achieved with a move to Marseille, although it is not a universally popular decision in the French city.

Marseille’s mayor, Benoit Payan, claimed the club would be ‘covered in shame’ by Greenwood’s arrival, while the hashtag #GreenwoodNotWelcome was also trending on social media last week.

Greenwood, once seen among the brightest young talents in English football, scored 35 goals in 129 appearances for United. “We wish Mason all the best in his future career,” the club said on their official platforms as the move was confirmed.

The striker could play his first game in England in two and half years on 3 August, when Marseille take on Sunderland in a pre-season friendly, which is remarkably being held in Greenwood’s hometown of Bradford.