Greenwood's Marseille Troubles Mount as De Zerbi Shuts Down Resignation Talk

The wheels appear to be coming off at Marseille, and Mason Greenwood is in the middle of it all.

The former Manchester United forward, signed for approximately £26m in 2024 (with a 50% sell-on clause included), is now clashing with the club's director of football Medhi Benatia. According to reports, Greenwood is deliberately disregarding the executive and showing little concern for any repercussions.

Greenwood arrived in Ligue 1 after United deemed it necessary to move him on—a decision made partly to avoid the reputational damage of keeping him at Old Trafford. The Crown Prosecution Service had dropped charges against him relating to attempted rape and assault after key witnesses withdrew, and following an internal investigation, United sanctioned his departure. He initially went on loan to Getafe before making his permanent switch to the south of France.

The 22-year-old has been productive on the pitch, notching 42 goals and 12 assists across 65 appearances. Yet the mood at the club has soured dramatically.

Marseille have imploded spectacularly, suffering consecutive 3-0 defeats to Liverpool and Club Brugge that have cost them their Champions League play-off berth. Following the midweek humiliation against Brugge, Benatia didn't hold back, saying: "I hope that the players are aware that tonight is a professional foul. I've lost games in my career, I've rarely felt that sense of shame, being able to concede six goals in two games. I want it to have consequences on the rest of the season."

The crisis deepened when reports emerged suggesting manager Roberto De Zerbi had offered his resignation in the aftermath of the Brugge disaster. De Zerbi, who has been touted as a potential target for Manchester United and Tottenham, moved quickly to extinguish the flames.

Speaking to the media, the Italian insisted he remains committed to the project and will oversee Saturday's fixture against Paris FC. "Nothing special. We lost an important match. We're coming out of the Champions League. We have to try to understand," De Zerbi said, explaining that he'd held talks with president Pablo Longoria and Benatia to plot a recovery.

He took responsibility for the team's shortcomings while defending his squad's character. "This match is also partly my fault. We will do everything to get back on track. I'm still here," he stated, before adding: "My players have always followed me. Yesterday I spoke to 7-8 players. I've always had a great relationship with my players. I continue to defend my players. There is no friction."

De Zerbi acknowledged the inconsistency that has plagued Marseille's season but expressed his desire to turn things around. "I have the strength to stay in Marseille for another five or six years because I have the passion, I like it. The players support me. What annoys me is the defeat. It's not a question of passion but of powerlessness. These are defeats that mark you, but the players have great human and sporting qualities."