Getafe boss Jose Bordalas apologises for claiming Jude Bellingham was key to Mason Greenwood joining the LaLiga side and insists it was ‘our interest’ that sealed loan move from Man United

Getafe coach Jose Bordalas has issued an apology for his earlier incorrect statement regarding Jude Bellingham’s involvement in Mason Greenwood’s loan move to the LaLiga club.

Greenwood, aged 21, made his transfer to the Spanish side on the deadline day, following his departure from Manchester United due to the collapse of legal proceedings against him.

Initially, Bordalas had made a surprising claim during an interview with Radio Marca, suggesting, “Greenwood has a friendship with Bellingham and he recommended that he come and play in the Spanish league.” However, Bellingham’s representatives expressed dissatisfaction with this statement.

Getafe coach Jose Bordalas has apologised for wrongly claiming that Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham was involved in encouraging Mason Greenwood to move to the Spanish league

Following Getafe’s 3-2 victory over Osasuna, in which Greenwood made his debut for the club as a substitute, Bordalas took the opportunity to clarify the misunderstanding. As reported by The Athletic, he stated, “I wanted to clear up a misunderstanding there has been. I said that Mason Greenwood came to Getafe because he had spoken to Bellingham.”

Bellingham's entourage were unhappy with Bordalas's false statement made to Radio Marca

Bordalas continued, “It has been clarified to me that this was not the case. I apologize. Mason arrived in a different way. It was our interest, and they offered him to me, and we were very interested. I just wanted to clarify that; it was not a bad intention.”

Both players made their moves to LaLiga during the summer, although their transfers were characterized by different circumstances. Jude Bellingham, the highly talented England international, secured a multi-million pound transfer to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund after a fierce international battle for his signature.

Greenwood made his debut for Getafe - on loan from Man United - in Sunday's LaLiga game

On the other hand, Mason Greenwood, who was informed that he wouldn’t be part of Manchester United’s plans following an internal investigation, joined Getafe on loan on the transfer deadline day. Coach Jose Bordalas expressed his satisfaction with Greenwood’s performance after he came on as a second-half substitute, stating, “We were pleasantly surprised; it was a tough match and a challenging time. There was a lot of back and forth. He has contributed significantly in offensive roles and has been very supportive.”

Bordalas said he was 'pleasantly surprised' with the way Greenwood performed in the game

Bordalas also acknowledged the importance of patience and tranquility in working with Greenwood, given that he had not played for many months. He emphasized that the day must have held special significance for the player, and highlighted Greenwood’s eagerness to compete and play. The coach also noted the positive response from both the fans and his teammates, emphasizing the remarkable contribution Greenwood made during his participation in the match.