Marseille’s mayor has urged the club not to sign Mason Greenwood due to his ‘unspeakable’ behaviour.
Manchester United have reached an agreement with the French side for the forward in a deal worth £26.7million.
talkSPORT understands it will also include a 50 per cent sell-on clause for the Red Devils on any future sale.
However, it’s understood that personal terms on a transfer are yet to be completed.
Greenwood spent last season on loan with Spanish club Getafe as he looks to rebuild his life and career.
The forward was arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of rape, assault and making threats to kill after images and videos surfaced online.
He was then suspended by the club but denied all allegations.
All charges were then dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2023 due to ‘a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material’.
However, United still conducted an internal investigation, with Greenwood leaving the club on loan having not played for them since January 2022. It was mutually agreed that Greenwood should continue his career away from Old Trafford.
While a move to Marseille has been agreed, the city’s mayor, Benoit Payan, has condemned the move and said he will be speaking to the club’s president to urge him to pull out of the deal.
Speaking to French radio station RMC, Payan made a number of accusations and said: “I do not want my club to be covered in shame. It is not acceptable.”
Greenwood scored 35 goals in 129 games for Man United, as well as 10 in 36 while at Getafe.
He returned to Manchester at the end of last season and it was unclear where he would be playing this season.
The club began their pre-season training on Monday, but Greenwood did not take part though is thought to have met senior figures within the club to work out his next move.
These included new sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox. There was interest from Serie A as talkSPORT reported, but it is the south of France where he is heading.
Marseille appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager in the summer after he left Premier League side Brighton.