Manchester United may have to pay Mason Greenwood up to £8 million following the collapse of his potential transfer to Lazio on the deadline day. The club had been trying to find a new team for the 21-year-old before the 11:00 pm deadline but faced challenges in securing a suitor. Serie A’s Lazio had expressed interest in signing Greenwood, but their efforts came too late, as the Italian transfer market closed at 7:00 pm, leaving insufficient time to finalize the deal.
If Manchester United cannot secure a new destination for Greenwood before Saturday, they might be obliged to terminate his contract, incurring a substantial financial setback. This situation is particularly concerning given the club’s careful consideration of Financial Fair Play regulations during their summer transfer activities.
Lazio had persistently worked until the final moments to secure Greenwood’s transfer, as the one-time England international had been open to a move to Italy. However, with only a few markets remaining open after the Premier League’s deadline, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the likelihood of Greenwood joining players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema in the Middle East seems to have diminished. Terminating the player’s contract now appears increasingly probable.
Earlier this month, Manchester United had confirmed that Greenwood would not be reintegrated into Erik ten Hag’s squad and stated their intention to assist the player in finding a new club while he continues to train and maintain his fitness in hopes of receiving another contract offer. Lazio had been informed that Manchester United was willing to let him go without a transfer fee, as the club was eager to offload him, although Greenwood was facing the prospect of a significant wage reduction to around £12,500 per week.
With the transfer to Lazio falling through, Greenwood is now exploring alternative options, potentially with Turkish clubs or La Liga’s Getafe, which have shown interest in signing him this summer. The Spanish transfer window closes at 11:00 pm on Friday, while the Turkish window remains open until September 15, with Besiktas being among the clubs linked with the striker.