Mason Greenwood torn apart by French press after 'scandalous' performance

Mason Greenwood and his Marseille chums were all given 0/10 ratings after a 3-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Nantes all but ended their Champions League hopes.

The forward was branded 'scandalous' and compared to a circus actor by local newspaper La Provence in a withering review.

Greenwood has enjoyed a productive season with 15 goals in Ligue 1 but he has only found the net once in his last nine games.

Marseille are now seventh, four points off the Champions League spots with two games remaining, while most of their rivals have played a match fewer. They were fourth - the position they need - when Roberto De Zerbi left in February.

La Provence wrote of Greenwood: 'Scandalous from start to finish, he thought it was okay to walk after his countless turnovers, complain when his teammates didn't pass to him, and act like he was in a circus, attempting unnecessary gestures for his own personal amusement, while his club's financial future was at stake.

'In other circumstances, he might have deserved half a point for at least managing to tie his boots.'

They also wrote of the 24-year-old: 'It's easier to understand why the enfant terrible of English football spent a brief spell on the bench at kickoff last Sunday.

'While players readily invoke the infamous "professional foul," Greenwood's behavior on Saturday was undeniably one.'

La Provence were similarly disgusted with the performances of other former Premier League players in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Criticising former Arsenal striker Aubameyang, 36, they penned: 'The Gabonese player completed more passes for Nantes than his teammates.'

Meanwhile, they doled out the following critique of Hojbjerg: 'After puffing out his chest at the foot of the Depé stand last Sunday, "Pilou" has reverted to a kitten.

'The worst version of himself. Completely out of sorts, he produced a festival of passes that were sometimes poorly judged, sometimes overhit, sometimes forced.'

Marseille may be forced to sell players such as Greenwood if they fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Juventus are long-term admirers and are ready to swoop in this summer, according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

If Marseille are forced to sell, they would expect a fee of at least £43million for his services, reports the Italian newspaper.

A portion of that transfer fee would go to Manchester United, who have a sell-on clause following his £30m departure to Marseille in July 2024.

If Marseille finish fourth, they will still have to navigate a play-off to make the Champions League league phase.

But their hopes could be ended if Lille and Lyon win their matches today. Victory would put them beyond Marseille's reach.