Gary Neville claims that Manchester United handled the Mason Greenwood inquiry in a “pretty horrible” manner and lacked effective leadership.
After a six-month internal probe, Greenwood, 21, will voluntarily depart the club.
It followed the player’s allegations of attempted rape and violence being dropped in February.
“It was clear from day one that he wouldn’t play for Manchester United again,” remarked Neville, a former defender.
Neville, 48, who played 602 times for United, added on Sky Sports Monday Night Football: “The process in getting there has been pretty horrible. When you have significant situations, and difficult situations like this, it requires strong authoritative leadership. And that comes from the very top. Manchester United don’t have that.”
Former England midfielder and fellow pundit Karen Carney stated the situation was “handled poorly” and that she was in a “really uncomfortable situation.”
Greenwood, a player for England, was detained in January 2022 as a result of charges involving information that was posted online.
Mason Greenwood acknowledged “making mistakes” and taking “share of responsibility” in a statement, but he also said: “I did not do the things I was accused of.”
United has stated “based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged”, adding: “All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United.”
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Before United’s first Premier League match of the year against Wolves on August 14, an announcement of the investigation’s findings was anticipated. However, the decision was postponed due to heated discussion surrounding Greenwood’s prospective reintegration at Old Trafford.
Before making a choice over Greenwood’s future, the club stated that they intended to talk with their women’s team, some of whom were competing in Australia as members of England’s World Cup roster.
The club’s chief executive, Richard Arnold, stated in an open letter to United fans on Monday that they had “limited powers of investigation” and “were reliant on third-party cooperation” while they “sought to collate as much evidence as possible to establish facts and context.”
He continued: “Reintegration was one of the outcomes we considered and planned for. For context, over the course of the past six months several outcomes have been contemplated and planned for, and my view has evolved as our process progressed.”
Carney, 36, who oversaw a significant investigation of the women’s game, added: “I think Manchester United as an institution, as football club and what is stands for, has handled this really really poorly.”
“I think from statements, that have been confusing and conflicting to everybody. From leaks. From involving stakeholders unnecessarily. I.e. female players, our Lionesses.”