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Mason Greenwood is “refusing to give up” on his England career and wants to speak to new manager Thomas Tuchel before the former Manchester United forward considers switching allegiance to Jamaica, a report by The Sun reveals.
Greenwood left Old Trafford in the summer to join Ligue 1 side Marseille having not played for the Red Devils since January 2022, following his arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and threatening to kill a woman.
He was charged in October 2022 but the case was dropped in February the following year. The 22-year-old denies any wrongdoing.
United attempted to reintegrate Greenwood into the first-team squad in the summer of 2023 but these plans were leaked and met with widespread condemnation. The club quickly changed tac and struck a hastily-agreed loan deal for the 22-year-old to join Liga side Getafe for the 2023/24 season.
Greenwood quickly settled into life in the Spanish capital and played well for Getafe, winning the club’s Player of the Season award. The forward scored 10 goals and six assists in all competitions.
Getafe were keen to keep Greenwood beyond his loan but were unable to match United’s demands for a permanent transfer, with bigger teams across the continent expressing an interest.
However, it was Marseille who won the race to sign the 22-year-old, agreeing a deal worth £26.7 million with Old Trafford officials. There’s reported to be a “significant” sell-on clause included which, based on Greenwood’s start to life in France, is likely to prove profitable in the future for the Red Devils.
Greenwood has scored five goals and provided one assist in seven Ligue 1 games this season. Marseille manager Robert de Zerbi, previously of Brighton & Hove Albion, describes his forward as “simply exceptional” and Greenwood won the club’s Player of the Month award for August.
This form has seen Jamaica, who Greenwood is eligible to play for through his father, make an approach for the 22-year-old. The Reggae Boyz are managed by Steve McLaren, formerly of United himself, who will know the forward well.
Greenwood is thought to be open to the idea but, as The Sun reveals, he “wants to know if he could play for England under new boss Thomas Tuchel” before a decision is made.
A source close to the player reveals: “Mason knows his chances of playing for England again are very slim. But he wants to check with the FA and Tuchel now he has been appointed, to see what they think.
“He is determined to play at the highest level and that means the World Cup. So if England don’t want him, he’ll switch to Jamaica and try and get to the 2026 World Cup that way.”
The previous two incumbents – Gareth Southgate and Lee Carsley (interim) – were unwilling to be drawn on the possibility of the former United star being reintegrated to the Three Lions squad, but Greenwood appears to be holding out hope Tuchel may be more receptive to the idea.
However, should the answer remain ‘no’, which appears overwhelmingly likely, given the controversy such a decision would generate, as well as the strength in depth England boasts in the CF and RW positions (Greenwood’s favoured roles), the 22-year-old ” will accept Steve McClaren’s invitation to switch allegiance and play for Jamaica.”
Feature image Miguel Medina via Getty Images
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2024-10-20 11:40:19
