ANOTHER foreign team is showing interest in offering Manchester United exile Mason Greenwood an escape after being dumped.
A potential new move abroad is being lined up for the former England striker after the decision to let him leave Old Trafford.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has rejected talk of a move to his Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.
And ex-Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has ruled out a reunion with him at Serie A side AS Roma in Italy.
Yet Greenwood could be welcome at a new club abroad – but in the relative footballing backwater of Albania, talkSport reports.
An unnamed side in the Balkan Peninsula nation are said to have expressed interest in the 21-year-old striker.
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Albania’s international team first qualified for a major tournament when reaching the 2016 UEFA European Championship in France.
Greenwood has been absent from Premier League club United’s first team since being arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive control in January last year.
All charges against him were dropped in February but he has remained suspended by the Red Devils.
An announcement by United on Monday revealed Greenwood would be leaving the club in what they called a “collaborative decision”.
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Yet it remained unclear whether his £75,000-a-week contract would be terminated or if he would be sold or sent out on loan.
The player issued a statement admitting he’d “made mistakes”.
United risk losing millions if Greenwood doesn’t find a move elsewhere before the transfer window closes this time next week.
If he remains on their books they club could have to pay him a hefty fee to cancel his contract which is only due to expire in 2025.
Yet they could be reprieved if a Saudi club opts for the player because their league’s window extends until September 20.
New recruits to the Saudi league include Greenwood’s ex-United colleague Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian striker Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid’s France forward Karim Benzema.
AL-ETTIFAQ MOVE ‘FAKE NEWS’
Al-Ettifaq swooped for England vice-captain and midfielder Jordan Henderson, joining from Liverpool for wages of £700,000 per week.
Yet former Three Lions skipper Gerrard, who took over at Al-Ettifaq last month, posted an Instagram story on Tuesday dismissing speculation about a move for Greenwood “fake news”.
Other clubs linked with the player have included Galatasaray and Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey.
United’s decision to go separate ways with Greenwood was welcomed by former England and United right-back Gary Neville.
Yet the club’s handling of situation was also labelled “horrible” by the ex-defender who now works as a Sky Sports pundit.
Greenwood’s Old Trafford exit was described as “inevitable and right” by the BBC’s Match Of The Day presenter and ex-England captain Gary Lineker.
But football clubs more widely were urged by women’s charities to do better when dealing with such allegations.
Lifelong United fan Rachel Riley last week said she would no longer support United if they let Greenwood come back.
The Channel 4’s Countdown co-host and Strictly Come Dancing contestant later welcomed his departure but accused United of having “handled this appallingly”.
Greenwood’s last United appearance was in a 1-0 Premier League win against West Ham United on January 22 last year.
He was charged in October last year by the Crown Prosecution Service and was due to go on trial this November.
But the case was withdrawn on February 2 after his alleged victim as well as 12 further witnesses declined to co-operate.
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The player born in Bradford in West Yorkshire has been at United since age six and hit 35 goals in 129 matches for the club.
He was given an England debut – and solitary cap – by manager Gareth Southgate in September 2020, as a late sub against Iceland.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
