European Leagues

Mason Greenwood breaks silence on Getafe loan move from Man United

Mason Greenwood has trained with Getafe for the first time and been welcomed by fans following his loan move from Manchester United.

Manchester United news, exclusives and analysis

The Premier League club announced last month that the 21-year-old, who will be officially presented as a Getafe player on Tuesday evening, would be continuing his career away from the club.

Greenwood was suspended by the Old Trafford club on January 30, 2022 over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online.

Greenwood faced charges including attempted rape and assault, but the Crown Prosecution Service announced in February that the case had been discontinued.

Reports that United were planning to retain him following an internal investigation were met by a public outcry and on September 1 it was confirmed he would head to Spain for the season.

Getafe have been promoting Greenwood’s arrival heavily on social media and, in a video message on Twitter the once-capped England forward said: ‘Hi Getafe fans, it’s Mason here. I’m so happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started.’

Other posts showed Greenwood, who last played a competitive match back in January 2022, coming out of the tunnel to applause from fans in the stadium before taking part in an open training session.

Speaking at a press conference following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid – a match Greenwood was not involved in – Getafe boss Jose Bordalas said of the allegations against the forward: ‘It is a very delicate situation to trivialise that issue.

‘Everyone knows what happened and appropriate measures were taken. Everyone knows how it ended, with a non-convictory sentence. He is a footballer of a very high level and arrives at Getafe with enormous enthusiasm. Surely he wants to recover his professional status and Getafe can help him in that sense.’

Asked if signing Greenwood might prompt an unfavourable reaction, Bordalas added: ‘I can only speak at a footballing level.

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‘We all know the potential he has. He is a very young boy and we hope that he adapts to a very different League.

‘Surely he wants to recover his professional status and Getafe can help him in that sense.’

A product of United’s academy, Greenwood scored 35 goals in 129 matches for the Red Devils. Greenwood is contracted at Old Trafford until June 2025, with the deal including an option to extend by a further year.

Premier League

Tottenham defender Dragusin sidelined for the season with ACL injury

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin is set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee during the club’s Europa League clash against Elfsborg.

The 23-year-old will undergo surgery and is expected to be out for at least six months, with recovery timelines for ACL injuries sometimes extending up to a year.

In a statement, Tottenham confirmed that Dragusin “will be assessed by our medical team to determine when he can return to training.”

Having started 21 of Tottenham’s past 23 matches, Dragusin has been a vital part of the defense since his arrival from Genoa in January 2024 for £25 million.

The Romania international expressed determination to bounce back stronger, writing on Instagram:

“Football doesn’t just teach you how to win – it teaches you how to fight when things get tough.”

Dragusin joins a growing list of sidelined Tottenham players, including Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, and Cristian Romero.

To bolster their defensive options, Spurs recently signed Austrian defender Kevin Danso on loan with a £21 million purchase option. Additionally, the club’s £70 million bid for England defender Marc Guehi was rejected by Crystal Palace, though they secured 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.

Premier League

Arteta disappointed by Arsenal’s lack of winter signings

Nobody Works Harder Than Me - Arteta On Woeful Arsenal Display

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed disappointment over the club’s failure to strengthen their squad during the winter transfer window but commended the management’s disciplined approach to player recruitment.

The Gunners were linked with potential attacking reinforcements following Gabriel Jesus’ season-ending ACL injury and the continued absence of Bukayo Saka due to a hamstring issue. However, no deals materialized before the window closed.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle on Wednesday, Arteta stated:

“We had a clear intention which is always when a window opens to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can make an impact.

“With players injured, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it. We are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players and we have to be very disciplined with that as well. I think that we were.”

Despite the challenges, Arteta emphasized the importance of staying true to Arsenal’s recruitment philosophy.

“It’s in the profile, a player that we believe can make us much better. Financially there is a lot of ways, a lot of things that we must stay in the lane that has taken us this far and from there try to improve.”

Arsenal face a difficult task in Wednesday’s semi-final after a 2-0 defeat in the first leg against Newcastle.

Premier League

Gary Neville backs Arsenal to challenge Liverpool for Premier League title

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has expressed confidence that Arsenal can still beat Liverpool to the Premier League title this season, despite facing challenges with injuries and a quiet January transfer window.

The Gunners trail Liverpool by six points, with the Reds holding a game in hand. However, Neville remains optimistic about Arsenal’s title hopes.

Speaking as quoted on Arsenal News Channel, Neville said: “It’s a difficult window to do business in, and the type of striker Arsenal need is a significant one, and those players aren’t available. Ollie Watkins would have hit the ground running at Arsenal, but you need to be world-class to get into that team.”

He praised Arsenal’s patience and strategic management:
“I can see why they are being patient. Liverpool did the same with Martin Zubimendi. Both Arsenal and Liverpool are being run pretty well. They won’t panic.”

Neville emphasized that Arsenal’s chances hinge on staying competitive if Liverpool falters:
“Arsenal can still win the title. It’s a long shot, but they just need to be there if Liverpool slip up. Injuries happen to big players in football, and the loss of Van Dijk or Salah would disrupt [Liverpool].”

Arsenal’s next challenge comes on Wednesday in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Newcastle United, who hold a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.