Mason Greenwood‘s career at Manchester United has reportedly received a major boost following secret talks between the club and their main sponsors adidas.

The 21-year-old’s future at Old Trafford is still up in the air as the forward awaits the verdict of an internal investigation.

He has been suspended by United for the last 17 months since his arrest in January 2022 on suspicion of rape and assault, and has been unable to play for the club or train with the rest of the squad at Carrington.

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges against Greenwood, and there has been talk United could look to loan him out this summer with reported interest from Italian side Atalanta.

But The Sun have now reported that United’s main sponsors adidas have approved his return in secret talks between the two parties.

Manchester United’s main sponsors adidas have reportedly approved Mason Greenwood’s return

Greenwood has not played since he was suspended in January 2022 and he is still awaiting the verdict of an internal investigation by Manchester United

It’s said that the green light from adidas will likely see other sponsors follow suit and that most of his team mates would also welcome him back if the club agrees to go in that route.

The Sun claim that they have been told by a source that adidas don’t see Greenwood’s return as an ‘insurmountable obstacle’ and would not be ‘fiercely opposed’ to his return.

An adidas spokesperson, however, told Mail Sport: ‘After inaccurate and speculative reporting within the media it’s important for us to reiterate that adidas plays no role in any decisions made regarding any member of the team or staff at the club.

‘Decisions are exclusively between the club and their employees.’

Manchester United signed a 10-year deal worth around £750m with adidas from the start of the 2015-16 season – following 13 years with their rivals Nike.

Greenwood has been pictured keeping fit by training with Anthony Elanga – who has since left the Red Devils for Nottingham Forest.

It emerged earlier this month that United could look to use Greenwood as a makeweight in their pursuit of Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund.

Manchester United are yet to decide whether to keep Greenwood for the upcoming season

Reports had suggested he could be used as a makeweight for Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund

United’s football director John Murtough has discussed the possibility of Greenwood making a temporary move to Atalanta during his negotiations with the Italian club over Hojlund.

Greenwood is said to have already rented out his Cheshire home, although United sources say that talk of him going on loan to Italy is highly speculative given that his future at United is still undecided.

United have identified Hojlund as their No.1 striker target this summer, but talks have been hampered by Atalanta’s £86m valuation of the 20-year-old Denmark international.

Source: dailyмail