GOALOM’s fanbase has become divided since the English forward’s arrival, despite his demonstrated talent at Getafe last season.
Wherever Mason Greenwood wound up this summer after an acrimonious and protracted exit from Manchester United, it was always going to spark controversy. But it just so happens that he has signed for a club with some of the most fiercely passionate supporters on the entire planet: Olympique de Marseille.
To put this already-exceptional transfer into context, Marseille is not like the rest of France; the country's oldest city, it is proudly multicultural, staunchly liberal and unwaveringly progressive, reflected in it being an island of left-wing politics in a sea of far-right voting departments in the south of the country in the recent election, with the left's unexpected, Kylian Mbappe-endorsed victory over the right sparking wild celebrations in the streets.
However, although it attracts residents from diverse backgrounds, the dominant religion in this place is actually its football club. The club’s emblem is impossible to escape – it is spray-painted on every wall, proudly displayed on replica jerseys, and permanently etched onto the bodies of fans in the form of tattoos. Moreover, the grand Stade Velodrome is an integral part of the city’s skyline. Despite the wealth of Paris Saint-German, both in France and abroad, Olympique de Marseille (OM) is widely regarded as the most passionately supported team in Ligue 1. The fanbase shares a profound and unwavering bond with the team, embracing its values that encapsulate the essence of the entire city.
Every religion has its different factions, however, and both the club and the city have a penchant for chaos. Hardly surprising, then, that the Greenwood transfer has created such controversy. Having been starved of tangible success for more than a decade, a £27 million ($35m) deal for a player of his calibre – someone that would normally be out of reach for a side of Marseille's relatively modest finances – is deemed a sporting opportunity that is too good to pass up.
The Man Utd forward saw charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against him discontinued in February last year, but the accusations certainly haven't been forgotten. Progressive women's rights are advocated for strongly in Marseille, although diversity brings with it different attitudes across different communities, and there is significant disharmony surrounding the topic of Greenwood's arrival.
