It’s been 16 long months since Mason Greenwood last played for Manchester United, and clarity on his future with the club could be just around the corner.
The issues surrounding the player have been well documented, with the Red Devils taking the decision to suspend him from all football-related activities as a result.
With the 2022/23 season coming to a close after this Saturday’s FA Cup final against local rivals Man City, the club can then sit down together with the player and discuss the options available to them.
The delicate nature of those discussions mean that they will have to be handled with the upmost care and attention.
At this point, there really is no clue as to which way the club will go in terms of whether they keep Greenwood on as a valued member of staff or agree to terminate his contract and send him on his way.
In an interview with The Times (subscription required), Erik ten Hag talked up Greenwood’s abilities as a front man – “showed in the past that he is capable of doing that” (front role, scoring 36 times in 130 appearances) – but made it clear that any subsequent decision isn’t his to make.
BBC Sport’s Simon Stone has also tweeted that the focus will be on Greenwood’s situation once the FA Cup final is done and dusted.
How United judge this particular issue will dictate how much, if any, reputational damage they will suffer as a result.