Marseille explain decision to sanction Mason Greenwood transfer to Fenerbahce in official statement

Marseille have released an official statement confirming the permanent transfer of Greenwood to Fenerbahce. The 24-year-old forward arrives in Istanbul after two seasons in the south of France. The club explained that the departure was a mutual decision between both parties after a productive individual campaign.

The Ligue 1 side expressed their gratitude in an official statement, saying: "Olympique de Marseille announces the transfer of Mason Greenwood to Fenerbahce. Signed in the summer of 2024, Mason Greenwood wore the Marseille colors for two seasons. This decision is the result of a joint discussion between the player and the club, who mutually agreed to end their collaboration. Olympique de Marseille thanks Mason Greenwood for his two seasons with the club and wishes him every success in his future career."

Greenwood’s output in front of goal remained consistently high. During his debut season at Marseille, he registered 22 goals and six assists in 36 appearances, helping the club secure a second-place finish and Champions League qualification. He followed that up with an even more prolific 2025-26 campaign, netting 26 goals and providing 11 assists across 45 matches in all competitions.

His technical quality made him a standout in Ligue 1, earning him a nomination as one of the five finalists for the UNFP Player of the Season trophy. Despite the reported friction behind the scenes including disciplinary issues and tension with former OM sporting director Medhi Benatia, his influence on the pitch was undeniable. Marseille effectively chose to cash in on their prized asset while his market value was at its peak.

Marseille's new sporting director Grégory Lorenzi also addressed Greenwood's departure in his first press conference at the club on Wednesday, confirming the forward wanted to move on. Lorenzi said: "I think you all know the complexities of the Greenwood deal with the image of the player. There weren’t a lot of opportunities with Mason, but I want to be precise when I say that the player wanted to leave the club as quick as possible.

"The numbers are communicated by people that don’t have the right information. All I can say is that the club got what it wanted. Okay, we thought that kore clubs were going to knock on the door. So the best option was this club that the player absolutely wanted to go to."

The road to Turkey was reportedly paved with drama, particularly involving Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone’s side appeared to be leading the race to sign the former Manchester United man, viewing him as a potential long-term successor to Antoine Griezmann. However, the deal collapsed spectacularly when Atleti reportedly felt 'disrespected' with the lack of communication from the player's camp during the final stages of negotiations.

Fenerbahce took full advantage of the breakdown in talks between Greenwood and the Colchoneros to secure the deal. The Turkish club confirmed they will pay Marseille a total transfer fee of €39m, which will be paid over three years in equal installments. It marks a significant financial commitment for the Istanbul side as they look to reassert their dominance domestically.

Greenwood has signed a four-year contract with Fenerbahce and is expected to become the focal point of their attack. The forward was quick to express his excitement about the move, highlighting the stature of his new club. In an official video message released to the Turkish supporters, he made it clear that he had little hesitation once the offer from the Super Lig was presented to him.

"It was a no-brainer when they (were) interested in me," the forward said upon his arrival in Turkey. "It’s the biggest club in Turkey and I can’t wait to get started." Having already found success in Spain with Getafe and France with Marseille, Greenwood now turns his attention to a fourth major European league as he seeks to continue his goalscoring exploits in one of world football's most passionate environments.