Mason Greenwood has been given the chance to resurrect his troubled career in Spain after the Manchester United outcast joined Getafe in a dramatic late loan deal on Friday night.
The news completed a frantic deadline day at Old Trafford with Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat becoming the club’s fourth and final signing of the day after completing a loan move worth £8.6m from Fiorentina.
Getafe moved quickly to sign Greenwood on loan and completed the paperwork just minutes before the deadline after Lazio had failed in their efforts to land Greenwood earlier in the day. United will recieve no loan fee for Greenwood and are covering the majority of Greenwood’s £75,000 a week wages, with Getafe contributing a small amount.
In a statement, United confirmed the 21-year-old’s departure on loan, subject to international clearance, and said the move “enables Greenwood to begin to rebuild his career away from Manchester United.” United added: “The club will continue to offer its support to Mason and his family during this period of transition.”
United announced 11 days ago that Greenwood was to leave the club after they abandoned plans to bring the player back into their squad in the wake of a fierce public and internal backlash. In February, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that charges of attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour against Greenwood had been dropped after key witnesses withdrew and new material came to light.
United launched an internal investigation and were gearing up to reintegrate Greenwood only for the plans to leak and spark outrage both publicly and internally at the club.
Amrabat said he had joined “the club of my dreams” after finally getting the move he craved.
Amrabat, who played under the United manager Erik ten Hag at Utrecht in Holland, had rejected a series of offers from others club over the summer as he waited for United to formalise their interest.
United have agreed to pay a loan fee of €10 million (£8.6m) for Amrabat and have an option to sign the Dutch born midfielder on a permanent deal next summer for €20m (£17.1m) with a further €5m (£4.3m) in add ons. United were not able to register the 27-year-old in time to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
“I know exactly how Erik ten Hag likes to work and what he needs from his players,” Amrabat said. “His coaching and guidance developed me so much as a player earlier in my career; I know that he will help to bring out the best of my abilities so that I can help the group to be successful this season.”
On a day when United fans again protested against the Glazers outside Old Trafford, the club also announced the signing of left back Sergio Reguilon on a season loan from Tottenham as well as the £4.3m capture of Turkey goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce and veteran centre-half Jonny Evans on a free transfer.
The situation is a reflection of the tight financial limits within which United were operating in the final weeks of the window after a failure to raise more money through sales and the ongoing uncertainty over the ownership of the club.
The Glazers announced last November that they could sell United as part of a “strategic review” but bidders Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani are still waiting for the Americans to make a decision.
Reguilon, who has been signed as emergency cover for the injured pairing of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, Bayindir and Evans have all been registered in time to face Arsenal on Sunday, when Rasmus Hojlund is in line to make his United debut.
The Denmark striker has not featured since his £72m move from Atalanta because of a back injury but has trained all week and will be in the squad to face Mikel Arteta’s side.
Scott McTominay is staying at United after rebuffing Fulham but Donny van de Beek could still leave the club. The Netherlands midfielder is subject of interest from Galatasaray, who have longer to complete a deal given that the Turkish transfer window does not close until September 15.
