"I can talk about the principle" - Sir Jim Ratcliffe hints at possibility of Mason Greenwood returning to Manchester United 

New Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shared his thoughts on the future of England international Mason Greenwood at the club. The Red Devils have officially come under the British billionaire's control after his stake purchase was ratified and cleared.

The bidding process to buy Manchester United from the Glazer family began in late 2022, and INEOS Group chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe emerged in 2023. The purchase, worth around £1.3 billion, gave him a 27.7% stake in the club and full control of its sporting aspects.

One key issue Sir Ratcliffe will have to deal with early on is that of forward Mason Greenwood. The 22-year-old left Manchester United to play for Getafe on loan after a rape scandal in 2022 derailed his career in England.

Ratcliffe addressed the media for the first time since the successful purchase of his stake in the club. He emphasized that a decision regarding Mason Greenwood would soon be made in 'light of the club's values'.

He said (via Daily Mail):

"It’s a fresh decision."

"I can talk about the principle. I am not going to talk about Mason. I am familiar with it. The principle is the important one. We will have other issues going forwards."

"You are dealing with young people who have not always been brought up in the best circumstances, who have a lot of money and they don’t always have the guidance they should have."

"What we need to do when have issues like that is understand real affects not the hype then we need to make a fair decision in the light of the club’s values. That’s what we need to do and that’s how we will deal with it."

Greenwood has seemingly enjoyed his time with Getafe, where he has performed at a level close to his best. He has five goals and five assists in 21 La Liga appearances this season.

Barcelona interested in Manchester United star Mason Greenwood - Reports

Mason Greenwood has impressed since moving on loan to the Spanish top flight, and his performances have caught the eye of several clubs. One of those is Barcelona, a team in dire need of attacking reinforcement.

The Spanish champions have only six senior attackers this season, and one of them (Joao Felix) is on loan from Atletico Madrid. The club is beset by financial problems, meaning they are on the lookout for cost-effective transfer deals.

La Blaugrana are interested in signing the Manchester United loanee, and the Express has reported that the Red Devils have placed a £34 million price tag on him. This is significantly lower than the Spanish side paid for Vitor Roque, and they may look to complete the deal in the summer.