Marseille reveal Mason Greenwood transfer stance as Serie A and Saudi Arabia links intensify

Marseille's sporting director has insisted the club does not want to sell Greenwood and see the English forward as a key part of their squad. The 23-year-old signed for the Ligue 1 side from Manchester United last year and enjoyed a productive first season in front of goal, but over the summer transfer window, he has seen his name linked with clubs in Italy, specifically recent Champions League runners-up Inter, as well as teams in Saudi Arabia.

Marseille forked out £27.5 million (€31.6m/$36.6m) to sign Greenwood from United and French publication L'Equipe recently claimed it would take an offer of £44 million (€50m/$58.4m) to consider parting ways with the forward. However, club director Medhi Benatia seems to have effectively ruled out a departure, insisting Les Phoceens have no desire to sell a player who bagged 21 Ligue 1 goals last season.

Benatia told 365Scores Arabia: "Greenwood will stay with us. He is not for sale. We want to keep him and consider him a key part of OM's project for the upcoming season."

Greenwood has been scoring goals regularly in pre-season, bagging six so far. Three of those came in a hat-trick against Dutch outfit Excelsior Maassluis last month, while he also netted a header during Saturday's 1-1 draw with Sevilla. He recently received praise from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who called him a "star boy" after the former Arsenal striker rejoined the club on a two-year deal.

Greenwood is likely to be involved in Marseille's next friendly which comes on Saturday when they host Aston Villa at Stade Velodrome. Their Ligue 1 campaign then starts the following Friday with a trip to Rennes, with Roberto De Zerbi's squad hopeful of challenging Paris Saint-Germain for the French title.