Amid all the problems Ineos inherited when sealing their takeover of Manchester United, one stood out above all the others as a saga in need of a solution.
And, as they have done throughout their first few months pulling the strings at Old Trafford, Ineos found a solution too.
Manchester United are finally free of that murky Mason Greenwood situation. And not a moment too soon.
The one-time England international – his future initially uncertain following a fine loan spell at Getafe – belatedly sealed an eventual £26 million move to Marseille in July.
Marseille’s gain – there can be no doubt about Greenwood’s talents from a purely sporting perspective – is Lazio’s loss.
The Serie A outfit tried and failed to lure Greenwood to Rome back in 2023 before Getafe got their man. And lightning struck twice this month, Lazio losing out to Roberto de Zerbi’s new employers shortly after director Angelo Fabiani insisted that the Biancocelesti were still in the mix.
“We were already negotiating with Greenwood last year,” Fabiani told Sky Italia.
“We are still in contact with Manchester (United), even if there are disruptive actions typical of the market.”
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Manchester United sell Mason Greenwood to Marseille
Lazio president Claudio Lotito – for whom the pursuit of Greenwood had reportedly become something of a personal ‘obsession‘ per Corriere dello Sport – has not taken too well to the idea of missing out.
Lotito, very much in a throwing the toys out of the pram sort of mood, claimed that Lazio would sign a player ‘ten times better’ than Man United’s former number 11 anyway.
Whether Barcelona’s Vitor Roque proves to be worthy of such a description remains to be seen. But he might just have been the mystery player Lotito was talking about at the time.
Sport claim that Lazio have now shifted their focus to the Camp Nou, prioritising a young Brazilian who barely got a look in after joining the La Liga powerhouses from Athletico Paranaense.
Barcelona are looking to bring in around £33 million for the 19-year-old striker.
Lazio, per Rome-based publication Il Messaggero, initially hoped to sign Roque on loan with an option to buy but have shifted their strategy towards a permanent move after learning that Barcelona would be open to cashing in.
Lazio are willing to pay around £17 million, only slightly less than the fee they had rejected by Man United for Greenwood.
Lazio turn to Barcelona for Vitor Roque
Vitor Roque started only two La Liga games under Xavi Hernandez in 2023/24 as Barcelona finished well adrift of Clasico rivals Real Madrid domestically.
Interestingly, the one-time Brazil international has found himself on Man United’s radar in recent times too.
Roque’s agent claimed that the Red Devils offered an overall package worth in excess of £85 million – presumably including the wages that would be paid during the duration of a long-term contract – before Barcelona won the race in July 2023.
“We received much bigger offers from Tottenham and Manchester United for Vitor Roque,” Andre Cury, the teenager’s representative, told the Charla Podcast.
“But his career plan is well mapped out and we opted for Barcelona. The moment is not to look at the money but the career.”
12 months on, Roque is facing another – albeit rather unexpected – decision.
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