Marseille’s decision to sign Mason Greenwood from Manchester United was one of the boldest moves of the 2024 summer window. The Ligue 1 club agreed a deal worth around €31.6 million (about £26.7m), with United inserting a significant sell‑on clause to protect their interests if his career explodes in France.
The transfer followed Greenwood’s loan at Getafe, where his form prompted interest from clubs across Europe before he chose Marseille and a fresh start under Roberto De Zerbi. In England, United had already concluded that his future would be away from Old Trafford, making this move to France a critical reset in both sporting and reputational terms.
Early ups and downs in France
Greenwood’s early months at Marseille were far from straightforward, with sections of the fanbase and local politicians initially opposing the deal before his performances began to shift the conversation. On the pitch he showed flashes of the technical quality that once made him one of England’s most talked‑about prospects, but his work‑rate and body language were occasionally questioned by supporters and pundits.
French outlets even described him as “nonchalant” after poor team performances, underlining that he was under intense scrutiny and would not be granted patience purely on talent. A banner aimed at Greenwood and a strike partner calling for greater effort summed up the pressure he was under to prove he was more than a high‑profile gamble.
From criticism to acclaim in Ligue 1
The turning point came as Greenwood’s form surged, with goals and assists arriving in clusters and his confidence visibly returning. French journalists began to focus less on off‑field noise and more on a forward who could score with either foot, create on the dribble and stretch defences from wide or central areas.
By the business end of his debut Ligue 1 campaign, he had produced a record‑breaking return: 21 league goals, more than any Marseille player in their first Ligue 1 season in the 21st century. That tally allowed him to overtake Bafétimbi Gomis and Didier Drogba’s debut‑season marks, while placing him alongside the most prolific individual campaigns seen at the club since the early 1990s.
Breaking Drogba’s benchmark
The Drogba comparisons in Marseille are never made lightly, given the Ivorian’s iconic single season at the club before joining Chelsea. Greenwood’s numbers instantly invited that parallel, as he not only matched but surpassed Drogba’s debut Ligue 1 goal tally, setting a new high for a first season in the modern era.
Across all competitions, Greenwood’s strike‑rate elevated him into select company, with French and European outlets placing him in an “exclusive club” of Marseille forwards whose debut impact transformed the team’s attacking identity. Some reports even noted Opta rankings that had him among Europe’s most effective attacking players, in the same statistical bracket as Premier League stars such as Cole Palmer.
French press make feelings clear
As the goals stacked up, the tone of the French press shifted decisively from suspicion to admiration. National and regional outlets lauded Greenwood’s ability to decide games, highlighting his direct running, clinical finishing and capacity to strike from tight angles or at the end of counter‑attacks.
Following his brace in a 5-1 demolition of Nice, newspapers and websites praised him as a ruthless wide forward who had taken command of Marseille’s right flank and the Ligue 1 Golden Boot race. Match ratings that once hovered around average or worse were replaced by glowing assessments, affirming that Marseille’s investment was starting to look like one of Europe’s smartest pieces of business.
Champions League stage and Newcastle test
The Champions League meeting with Newcastle at the Stade Vélodrome was framed as a test of Marseille’s new‑look attack against Premier League opposition with ambitions of its own. Newcastle arrived on a strong European run, but Marseille wrestled control of the game after a slow start and turned it around with a second‑half surge, powered by Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang’s quickfire brace.
While Aubameyang took the headlines for the goals on the night, Greenwood’s movement, link‑up play and threat in transition were repeatedly highlighted by French observers as key to stretching Newcastle and opening lanes for Marseille’s veteran striker. The result revived Marseille’s qualification hopes and reinforced the idea that this side, built around dynamic forwards, can trouble English opposition on the biggest stage.
The “heir to Drogba” narrative
In the wake of his domestic form and European performances, French media have leaned into the narrative that Greenwood represents Marseille’s closest thing to a modern successor to Drogba. The comparison is rooted not just in goals but in profile: a powerful, technically gifted forward capable of leading attacks, thriving under intense pressure and becoming the focal point of a fervent fanbase.
Commentary has stressed that Greenwood still has work to do to match Drogba’s overall legacy, but the statistical milestones and big‑game influence have already placed him in the same conversation as some of Marseille’s great attacking imports. For a player whose career seemed stalled only a short time ago, being spoken of in those terms by French journalists is a remarkable shift in perception.
De Zerbi’s role and tactical fit
Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival has been instrumental in maximising Greenwood’s strengths. The Italian coach has given him clear positional responsibilities, often starting him on the right but encouraging him to drift inside, attack space in behind and rotate with the central striker.
Training‑ground reports and analysis pieces in France have underlined De Zerbi’s demands around pressing intensity and defensive discipline, areas where Greenwood has had to grow. The improvement in his off‑the‑ball work has helped him stay in the XI even when goals temporarily dry up, allowing his all‑round game to be viewed more favourably than during his first weeks in Ligue 1.
