Steve McClaren has confirmed that former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood is keen to switch allegiances from England to Jamaica.
Greenwood's international career has been on hold since he was arrested on suspicion of rape in January 2022, having earned his only England cap four months previously. Greenwood was later accused of attempted rape and assault, but all charges against him were dropped in February 2023. Manchester United, however, decided not to reinstate him to the first team and loaned him to Getafe before finalizing a permanent move to Marseille last summer.
The 23-year-old is eligible to play for Jamaica due to his father being born in the Caribbean country. Speculation that he would switch allegiances has been rife throughout this year and has intensified since the charges were dropped, with England manager Steve McClaren confirming he was keen to play for the Reggae Boyz.
Greenwood has made a decision
“I have heard a lot of publicity on and still around Mason Greenwood”McClaren told the media on Saturday. “ I am in constant contact with Mason, the message is always the same: “when the time is right”.
“You have to think that he went through a traumatic period in the last two years of his contract, and he was loaned out. He's been here, he's been there – advertising, and I think he just wants to settle down in Marseille and enjoy his football, which he's doing, and he wants to join the Reggae Boyz. I know that every time I speak to him, I have no reason to doubt it, and the process continues. »
McLaren also hopes to have Greenwood on its team by next March. “ I didn't expect that to be the case, once you missed the first camp, any of these camps for that matter, but hopefully by March we'll have made progress on everything”he added. “As I said, our whole plan and our process is about qualifying for the World Cup, and that's still, I know, on the horizon, but it's still something that we're thinking about now and that we plan for the long term. So Mason, we're keeping an eye on it and will keep you posted. »
Greenwood has been in great form for Marseille this season, scoring eight goals in 11 appearances for the Ligue 1 club. He will no doubt follow Jamaica's progress in their upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against the USA…
