Roberto De Zerbi reveals mission to make Mason Greenwood a Marseille LEGEND - as he explains why he thinks striker 'can be remembered that way'

Mason Greenwood 'has the qualities' to articulation the pantheon of Marseille greats, says manager Roberto De Zerbi.

The erstwhile Manchester United striker has enjoyed a prolific debut play but De Zerbi has precocious called for him to amended his enactment ethic. 

Greenwood near Manchester United nether a unreality past summer after helium was arrested successful January 2022 earlier being charged with attempted rape, battle and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Charges against Greenwood were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service pursuing the 'withdrawal of cardinal witnesses and caller worldly coming to light'. Greenwood has ever denied the allegations. 

But aft a 17-goal play truthful acold - including a top-corner screamer against Toulouse successful Sunday's 3-2 triumph - helium is rebuilding his vocation and has been backed to beryllium 1 of their 'greatest players,' equipped with a declaration until 2029. 

'Greenwood is simply a earthy talent,' said De Zerbi.

'All the recognition goes to his parent and father. And I'm present to assistance him go much complete. When helium needs a hug, a connection of support, I gladly springiness it. And erstwhile I request to propulsion him to springiness more, I person to bash that excessively due to the fact that that's my job.'

'I would particularly similar to assistance him beryllium remembered, successful this stadium and by these supporters, arsenic 1 of the top players to person played present astatine the Vélodrome,' helium added. 

'There person been truthful galore large players here, but I deliberation Greenwood has the qualities to beryllium remembered that way. And I'm trying to assistance him progress.'

It's a bold assertion astatine a nine that has won 9 Ligue 1 titles, 1 European Cup, and has produced a Ballon d'Or victor successful erstwhile France striker Jean-Pierre Papin.

While their apical scorers from days of yore specified as Gunnar Andersson and Josip Skoblar are not truthful good remembered nowadays, they person inactive had caller nine favourites specified arsenic Dimitri Payet, Florian Thauvan, and Andre-Pierre Gignac. 

His hunt for the aureate footwear has been blasted to smithereens by Ousmane Dembele's barnstorming signifier - Greenwood with 16 Ligue 1 goals, present trails the PSG antheral by five.

But it has inactive been a beardown run which has reignited his vocation aft helium near United for £30million.

His determination to France sparked a backlash from livid Marseille fans, who launched a #GreenwoodNotWelcome run erstwhile helium was initially linked with the club.

While his instant goalscoring signifier won implicit some, his manager is arguably 1 of his astir demanding critics. 

'Greenwood is simply a precise bully idiosyncratic whom I love, arsenic I emotion his father,' De Zerbi said recently. 

'He's had a spot of a pugnacious clip lately due to the fact that helium had a girl who was born, and I don't deliberation he's utilized to playing specified an aggravated play and being a main player. I deliberation helium paid for it physically.

'That is to accidental that helium didn't propulsion himself and wasn't 100 percent arsenic I wanted successful training, successful presumption of what I expect from a subordinate similar him.

'His carnal information has declined a little, but my task successful Marseille is not lone to suffice for the Champions League, it is besides to make thing similar what Luis Enrique has created (at PSG). He has created a team, a radical of beardown players, but with a soul.'

Greenwood could look English clubs successful the Champions League adjacent season, with Marseille 2nd successful Ligue 1.