Nike terminates Mason Greenwood sponsorship

The global sportswear and accessories firm has announced the decision after the player’s recent arrest.

American sportswear, apparel and accessories firm Nike has announced the termination of its sponsorship deal with Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood.

The 20-year-old English striker was recently arrested and then released on bail by the Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and assault of a woman. The allegations included photographs, a voice note and a video, which were posted on Instagram by said woman and were later deleted. 

Greenwood was arrested on January 30 and was in police custody until his release on February 2.

Last week, Nike had released a statement saying it had suspended its partnership with Greenwood following the allegations. Now, the company has confirmed that its partnership with Greenwood will not continue.

In a statement released to The Athletic, Nike said:

“Mason Greenwood is no longer a Nike athlete.”

Greenwood’s club Manchester United also released a statement after the player’s arrest, which stated that the striker would not be a part of the team until further notice.

Manchester United released a statement that read:

“Manchester United reiterates its strong condemnation of violence of any kind.

As previously communicated, Mason Greenwood will not train with, or play for, the club until further notice.”

Following the allegations made against Greenwood, EA Sports removed Greenwood from its current instalment of FIFA (FIFA 22), and Konami did the same with eFootball. 

Man United’s official partner Cadbury also announced that Greenwood would not appear in any of its marketing products, while their principal shirt sponsor TeamViewer released a statement stating that the company was “closely monitoring developments”.

The England international’s merchandise has also been removed from the official Manchester United website, and the club have informed fans worldwide that they can exchange their Greenwood shirts for free.

Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick also spoke about the situation:

“To be honest, I didn’t speak that much with the current players about what happened.

“I’m pretty sure that they did. Obviously, we had internal discussions, but I’m pretty sure everyone will understand those internal discussions should stay internal.

“It’s an unusual situation for everybody and nobody would want to experience that. Obviously it was a topic within the team, but they’re human beings and Mason was part of the group before we had our break.

“It’s an ongoing process and we have to put our focus on tomorrow’s game and then Tuesday’s game at Burnley. This is all I can say.”

Mason Greenwood himself hasn’t responded to the allegations yet.