MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester United ahead Mason Greenwood’s current arrest was a factor in the membership’s determination to not let Jesse Lingard go away in January, coach Ralf Rangnick stated on Thursday.
Greenwood has been launched on bail pending additional investigations, police stated on Wednesday, after the 20-year-old participant was arrested on suspicion of rape and assault of a lady.
The United ahead was on Tuesday additional arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and making threats to kill.
United have banned Greenwood from coaching or taking part in video games till additional discover, and with one much less ahead in the squad, Lingard, who was closely linked with a transfer to Newcastle United in January, is required by his present membership.
“In a approach, sure,” Rangnick informed a information convention when requested whether or not Greenwood’s arrest affected the membership’s pondering on Lingard.
“With the window closing Monday night the board knowledgeable me they might reasonably he keep, so I might perceive and settle for.
“We had a drawback with Mason Greenwood and being with out a participant in the interim, and the membership not discovering an settlement with one other membership.”
Sportswear large Nike stated on Monday it had suspended its relationship with Greenwood, whereas United launched a assertion on Tuesday reiterating their “robust condemnation of violence of any type”.
Greenwood has not made any public assertion following his arrest and has not responded to Reuters’ makes an attempt to contact him on social media.
Speaking forward of United’s FA Cup fourth spherical sport towards Middlesbrough on Friday, Rangnick performed down the affect of Greenwood’s arrest on the remainder of the squad.
“In truth we had a good regular week of coaching with 5 coaching periods together with at present,” he added.
“Obviously it was a subject throughout the workforce however they’re human beings and Mason was a part of the group earlier than we had our break.”
Lingard can go away free of charge in the shut season when his contract ends.
“Three weeks in the past, Jesse did not need to go away, then he modified his thoughts,” Rangnick added. “I had a chat with him 10 days in the past and I might totally perceive why he needed to depart to get sport time for his future and the World Cup.
“I informed him if he finds a membership and we discover a answer with our membership I’d enable him to depart. In the final couple of days issues modified a little bit.”
Rangnick additionally stated Lingard is not going to characteristic towards Middlesbrough so he can “clear his thoughts”, with France midfielder Paul Pogba in competition to make his first look since November after a lengthy harm layoff.
(Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Toby Davis)
