Lee Carsley has revealed he “cannot consider” Mason Greenwood for selection to play for England, despite his prolific recent form.
Greenwood completed a long-awaited transfer away from his boyhood club Manchester United this summer, with the 22-year-old joining Ligue 1 club Marseille in a deal worth £27million.
Joining former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, Greenwood has proved an instant hit in the south of France.
After scoring twice against Brest on his debut, Greenwood continued his impressive start to take his tally to five goals and an assist in his first three league games.
In other circumstances such a start would put a player in contention for selection for the national team, and interim manager Carsley was asked on Friday whether he had considered Greenwood for his first team.
Lee Carsley revealed he “cannot consider” Mason Greenwood for an England call-up
Greenwood has scored five goals and provided one assist in just three Ligue 1 games since joining Marseille this summer.
“Mason wasn’t a player we could consider, to be honest, no,” Carsley said ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Republic of Ireland.
‘I’m aware of how he is, but we didn’t take him into account.’
Greenwood returned to competitive football last season after spending 18 months out of the game following his charge of attempted rape, assault and coercive behaviour in January 2022 after a series of harrowing images and voice recordings were shared online.
The Crown Prosecution Service withdrew the charges on 20 February 2023 following the withdrawal of key witnesses. Greenwood has denied any wrongdoing.
Although never officially banned from representing the national team by the FA, Greenwood has not been included in any England squad since returning to the competition.
Recent reports suggest Greenwood could look to revive his international career elsewhere and accept a call-up to represent his father’s birth country, Jamaica.
New Reggae Boyz boss Steve McClaren is said to be keen to offer Greenwood and other foreign-born stars an international lifeline.
The 22-year-old made his only senior England appearance as a substitute against Iceland in 2020.
“I know the players. I met Mason and we had a little chat. I want to go meet them all when I get back and find out if they really want to come here and play for Jamaica,” he said last month, according to McAnuff Sports, an X account that posted a photo from his first press conference.
“Once again, it’s the commitment. I’ll make sure we have a conversation with all the players. We have a list.
Despite making a brief appearance in a competitive match for England, FIFA regulations allow players to switch if they have played fewer than four competitive matches before turning 21.
