Former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has rejected a call-up from Steve McLaren’s Jamaican national team, opening the door to a sensational return to the England squad.
McLaren had attempted to call the forward up to his World Cup qualifying squad against Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago.
The 23-year-old found a new lease of life at French club Marseille when he moved from Manchester United after charges of attempted rape, coercive control, and ABH were dropped.
Greenwood, who made one senior appearance for the Three Lions, has been rumoured to be making the switch to the Reggae Boyz, who are currently managed by former United coach McLaren.
Steve McLaren is currently the Jamaican head coach
|GETTY
But the ex-Newcastle boss has admitted Greenwood has rejected their latest approach despite gaining a Jamaican passport, leaving the 64-year-old “disappointed”.
“We acquired a passport, and we expected him to be coming to this camp, but in a conversation with his family, he’s not going to commit at this time to anybody,” McLaren admitted.
Mason Greenwood has rejected a call-up from Steve McLaren’s Jamaican national team
|REUTERS
“It’s a little bit disappointing. We probably have to be more patient. We will keep pursuing him because I know from my conversations with Mason that he loves Jamaica.
"He wants to concentrate on club football and not commit to an international team at the moment. He’s taking his time over that. Who knows in the future?”
JUST IN: England players leave the field after racist abuse with game suspended twice
The former Manchester United forward has left the door open to a sensational England return
|REUTERS
Greenwood has enjoyed a successful spell in the south of France since his move in the summer of 2024.
He scored 23 goals in 39 appearances last term as Roberto De Zerbi’s side catapulted themselves to second in the league - the ‘best of the rest’ outside of Paris Saint-Germain.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
“I get that he loves Jamaica, he respects Jamaica. As soon as that decision was made and he couldn’t commit, you move on. You don’t harp on it and don’t go, ‘What if this?’ or ‘What if that?’ You move on and control what you can control,” McLaren continued.
“It’s a disappointment for everybody because he would have been a big asset and he would have come here and enjoyed his football.”
If Greenwood were to pledge his elegance to Jamaica, he would have the opportunity to link up with former Premier League stars Demarai Gray, Leon Bailey and Michail Antonio.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
💥 The Road to 2026 continues! 💥
— Official J.F.F (@jff_football) August 29, 2025
Here are the Reggae Boyz named for our FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 🇯🇲⚽#ReggaeBoyz #AllAhWi #OneTeam #RoadTo2026 #Jamaica #WorldCup2026 #SpiritOfFootball #FromYardToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/efp3u93zJJ
Greenwood is eligible through his grandfather, and after playing fewer than three senior games for England before the age of 21, would fit the criteria for a switch.
His only cap for the England senior team was when he appeared as a late substitute in a 1-0 Nations League victory over Iceland in 2020. That appearance ended in scandalous fashion, with the forward being sent home from the squad along with Manchester City star Phil Foden.
Mason Greenwood's solitary England cap came in a 1-0 Nations League victory against Iceland
|GETTY
The pair broke COVID-19 protocol by leaving the hotel they were staying in to meet two women in a seperate hotel. Greenwood was not selected again after the incident.
Initially, the forward left boyhood club United on a six-month loan to Spanish side Getafe, where he scored 10 goals in 36 appearances.
He has since rebuilt his career in France, becoming a key player at Marseille.
The forward is still expected to join up with the Reggae Boyz in the future, but has left the door open to a return to the Three Lions with the World Cup around the corner.