Mason Greenwood ‘offered Lionel Messi’s iconic shirt number’ at Barcelona

Mason Greenwood has been offered Lionel Messi’s iconic number 10 shirt at Barcelona, it has been claimed.

Greenwood has helped Getafe climb to eighth in the La Liga standings since his summer loan move from Manchester United, netting five goals and claiming a further four assists in the process.

And according to the Sun, while Getafe want to sign the 22-year-old permanently, Barcelona are planning a £40million bid of their own for the forward having sent scouts to watch him in a 3-0 victory over Sevilla, a 1-0 home win against Valencia and 3-3 draw with Atletico Madrid.

The Catalan giants are also reportedly set to throw in a convincing concession to lure Greenwood to the Nou Camp - the club’s iconic number 10 shirt.

Barcelona’s number 10 shirt was once famously donned by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who left the club in August 2021 having scored 672 goals and registered 303 assists across 778 appearances.

Barcelona subsequently gave the shirt to academy product Ansu Fati, but since the Spain international’s loan move to Brighton & Hove Albion this summer, it has not had an owner.

Greenwood is reviving his career in Spain after United decided the player had no future at the club.

In February, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges against the striker of attempted rape, coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the withdrawal of a key witness and the emergence of new evidence.

United subsequently conducted an internal investigation into the matter, and it was ultimately “mutually” decided that it was best for all parties that Greenwood continued his career away from Old Trafford.

Greenwood has always denied the allegations, while United said upon the conclusion of their investigation: “Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged.”