Tottenham’s new manager Roberto De Zerbi has apologized to “those who were offended” by comments he made about Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust has voiced its concerns over De Zerbi’s arrival on a five-year deal, saying the player’s appointment “raises serious and widespread concerns”, adding in a strongly worded statement that Spurs had been directly warned about the “intensity of sentiment” among their fans.
Greenwood joined Marseille from Manchester United in 2024 after charges including attempted rape and assault were dropped. Last November, De Zerbi described him as a “good man” who had paid a “high price”.
He added at the time, “I’m sad about what happened to his life, because I know a completely different person than the person described.”
In his first interview with club media, De Zerbi chose to speak in Italian and addressed his comments for the first time since taking over, saying: “I did not want to further minimize the issue of violence against women or violence against anyone.
“All my life, I have always stood up for the weaker, the more vulnerable. I have always taken the stand to fight and stand by those who are more at risk.
“Those of you who know me well know that I am not one to compromise in order to win more matches or win additional titles. I apologize to anyone who was offended by this subject matter. I have a daughter and I am very sensitive about these things and always have been.”
“I hope that as time goes on, people get to know me better and understand that I didn’t mean to have an attitude in that moment.”
Sky Sports News understands that De Zerbi is still scheduled to address his comments at his first press conference.
Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling/coercive behavior and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the woman whose images and videos were posted online, but the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew the charges in February 2023.
The charges against Greenwood were dropped due to “the combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and newly revealed material,” which meant that “there was no realistic prospect of conviction.”
Sky Sports News understands that the Spurs board carefully considered and discussed the sentiment regarding the relationship between De Zerbi and Greenwood during the recruitment process.
