Marseille president Pablo Longoria has revealed that he consulted his mother before approving the signing of former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood in 2024, describing the decision as one of the most difficult of his career.
Longoria said the move, which generated widespread controversy, was taken after extensive due diligence and personal reflection, stressing that he wanted a perspective detached from football and commercial considerations.
According to The Telegraph, Longoria made the disclosure while speaking publicly for the first time about the circumstances surrounding Greenwood’s arrival at the Ligue 1 club last July.
Greenwood, once regarded as one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents, was suspended by Manchester United in January 2022 following his arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive behaviour. Criminal charges were dropped in February 2023 after prosecutors said key witnesses withdrew their involvement.
The forward never played again for United and spent the 2023/2024 season on loan at Getafe in LaLiga before completing a permanent move to Marseille, where he has since scored 33 goals in 54 appearances and emerged as the club’s leading scorer.
Explaining his decision, Longoria said he sought advice from his mother, Begona Longoria, a former prison system worker in Spain who was recognised with a state honour for her service.
He said, “For me, it’s correct to speak openly about it. Creating taboos in life is never positive. For us it was a massive market opportunity from a sporting perspective where we analysed, very carefully, what really happened.
“In that case, having done due diligence and having all the information – and this is the first time I speak about this – with all the information I called my mother.
“And I said ‘what do you think, knowing all the situation?’ And my mother, who used to work in the prison system in Spain, having a very innovative prison system model in Spain – she was recognised with the medal of the state – so I ask her, having all this information, ‘what would you do in my position?’ And she said to me ‘do it’. With all the information.
“It was important because I wanted someone who doesn’t have the incentive of the sport, because the talent is there, that her only incentive is the good of her son. As a man, not as a president. And, for me, it was very important that she said to me, knowing all of this, ‘do it’.”
Longoria acknowledged the criticism that followed Greenwood’s signing but insisted he was at peace with the decision.
“For me, at the moment when you have the full information, you deal with it with normality,” says Longoria.
“Like I am doing with you right now. Because this is the most important thing – to have normality in life. Deal with that. Yes, I know that there is criticism. I know that the situation, it’s so many times, potentially reputational [damage].
“But, I repeat, if you think that you are taking the right decision, with the right level of information, and from a human perspective as well, because Mason, he’s a good kid, seriously. From that time, I sleep at night.”
The Marseille president also expressed satisfaction with Greenwood’s performances, noting that his defensive work and maturity on the pitch mattered as much as his goals.
Greenwood, who has consistently denied the allegations against him, previously stated that leaving Manchester United was “the best decision for everyone”, as he sought to rebuild his career away from England.
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