Javier Tebas hopes Mason Greenwood stays in Spain beyond this season and doesn’t believe the exiled Manchester United forward’s presence has tarnished LaLiga’s reputation in any way.
Greenwood, 22, has scored seven times for Getafe and reports on Thursday suggested the club are willing to sign him permanently.
He was charged with attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour in October 2022, but the charges and the case were dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew.
LaLiga president Tebas was asked at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit whether he felt Greenwood playing in Spain has tarnished the competition.
LaLiga chief Javier Tebas hopes Mason Greenwood will stay in Spain beyond this season
Greenwood has seven goals and five assists in 25 games for Getafe, who are 10th in LaLiga
‘I am a lawyer, if someone has come out of a legal case innocent, there is nothing to say. He is innocent,’ he said.
‘He is another great player, maybe the circumstances didn’t make it easy for him to come but he is doing really well in Getafe as a player and I hope he continues to be successful and he continues to stay in Spanish football.
‘Reputation means you should respect the legal decisions and I am a lawyer so I cannot accept any people that concerned him in the press. You have to respect the legal decisions.
‘If Greenwood came off as innocent and wasn’t condemned [convicted], there is no more to talk about. In Spain, we have had other cases.
Greenwood left United to join Getafe on loan in the summer after charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive control were dropped. The 22-year-old denied all the charges
Tebas also claimed Greenwood’s presence in LaLiga has not tarnished the league’s reputation
‘We can’t be judges for everything, we can’t just say ‘you can’t play here’ because we would have empty teams. If somebody has been acquitted, you cannot do anything about it.’
Reminded that Greenwood’s case didn’t go to trial but that the charges were dropped, Tebas added: ‘Well, he wasn’t condemned, so I don’t care.’
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