Man United CEO Richard Arnold explains why Mason Greenwood has to LEAVE Man United after attempted rape charges and addresses reports the club had originally planned to reintegrate the striker

Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold has explained that Mason Greenwood must leave the club because the club prioritizes the “well-being, wishes and perspectives” of his alleged victim.

While Arnold is convinced that Greenwood did not commit the acts he was accused of, the assailant has accepted the mistakes he made.

In his statement, Arnold said the club would continue to support the alleged victim and Greenwood to help them “rebuild and move forward with their lives positively.”

During the club’s trial, Arnold explains, it was “essential for us to respect the rights and wishes of the alleged victim.”

While United had considered and planned to re-integrate Greenwood into the club, Arnold explained that his role was to ‘minimize any distraction from the unity we seek within the club’, hastening Greenwood’s departure .

The full statement is below.

Dear Fans,

Now that we have completed and announced the outcome of the club’s investigation into Mason Greenwood, I want to be direct and transparent with our fans about the process and the reasons for our decision.

This was an internal disciplinary investigation between employer and employee that would normally take place out of the public eye. Given the public nature of the allegations and Mason’s profile, I recognize that this was not an ordinary situation, but I felt it was important that we continue to follow due process and, as far as possible, avoid media comment until I have made a final decision .

When audio and footage was posted online in January 2022, my feelings were shocked and concerned for the alleged victim. Since then, her well-being, wishes and perspective have been central to the club’s approach, as well as the club’s standards and values. While we immediately concluded that Mason should be suspended pending the investigation, we were also aware of our duty of care to him and the importance of making a decision based on full information. Until February this year, this was a matter for the police and the Public Prosecution Service. It was not until the charges were dropped that the club discussed the allegations with Mason and others involved in the case.

Our investigation sought to gather as much evidence as possible to establish facts and context. This was not a quick or easy process for several reasons. It was essential for us to respect the rights and wishes of the alleged victim. We also have limited investigative powers, which meant we depended on cooperation from third parties. The timing has also been influenced by my desire to minimize the impact of the investigation on our men’s and women’s teams and our lionesses. I recognize that this gave more time for speculation, but the alternative would have been to jeopardize due process or cause a premature disruption.

While we were unable to access certain evidence for reasons we respect, the evidence we gathered led us to conclude that Mason did not commit the acts of which he was accused. For legal reasons I am limited in what I can say, including the alleged victim’s continued right to anonymity, but I can share with you the following which should give you some insight into the complexities of this case.

• The alleged victim asked the police in April 2022 to stop the investigation.

• We were given alternative explanations for the audio recording, which was a short clip of a much longer recording, and for the images posted online.

• The alleged victim’s family participated in the process and was given the opportunity to review and correct our factual findings.

Last week the media reported that we had decided to reintegrate Mason and that elements of a plan to do so had been leaked to them. Reintegration was one of the outcomes we considered and planned. For context, several outcomes have been considered and planned over the course of the past six months, and my opinion has evolved as our process has progressed. Although the final decision rested with me, I took into account various factors and opinions until I finalized my decision.

While I am convinced that Mason did not commit the acts of which he was accused, Mason has accepted that he made mistakes for which he takes responsibility. I am also aware of the challenge Mason would face in rebuilding his career and raising a baby with his partner in the harsh limelight of Manchester United. Furthermore, this case has provoked strong opinions, and it is my responsibility to minimize any distractions from the unity we seek within the club.

While we’ve decided that Mason will try to rebuild his career outside of Manchester United, that doesn’t mean the end of this matter. The club will continue to support both the alleged victim and Mason to help them rebuild and move forward with their lives positively.

Thank you for your continued support,

Richard Arnold