Lee Carsley has revealed that he ‘cannot consider’ Mason Greenwood for selection for England, despite his prolific recent form.
Greenwood completed a long-awaited transfer away from boyhood club Manchester United this summer, with the 22-year-old joining Ligue 1 side Marseille in a deal worth £27million.
Joining up with former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, Greenwood has proved an instant hit in the south of France.
After netting a brace against Brest on his debut Greenwood has continued his impressive start to take his tally to five goals and an assist from his first three league games.
Under different circumstances such a start would put a player in contention to be selected for the national side, and interim boss Carsley was asked on Friday whether he had considered Greenwood for his first squad.
Lee Carsley revealed he ‘cannot consider’ Mason Greenwood for an England call-up
Greenwood has netted five times and notched an assist in just three Ligue 1 games since joining Marseille this summer
‘Mason wasn’t a player that we can consider to be honest, no,’ Carsley said ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Republic of Ireland.
‘I’m aware of how he’s doing but he wasn’t under consideration.’
Greenwood returned to competitive football last season after spending 18 months out of the game having been charged with attempted rape, assault, and coercive behaviour in January 2022 after a series of harrowing images and voice recordings were shared online.
The charges were dropped on February 2023 by the Crown Prosecution Service following the withdrawal of key witnesses. Greenwood has denied any wrongdoing.
While never officially banned from representing the national team by the FA, Greenwood has not been included in any England squad since his return to competition.
Recent reports suggest Greenwood could look to revive his international career elsewhere and accept a call-up for his father’s country of birth, Jamaica.
New Reggae Boyz boss Steve McClaren is said to be keen on offering Greenwood and other foreign-born stars an international lifeline.
Greenwood 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 conversation,’ he said last month, as per McAnuff Sports, an X account which posted a picture from his first press conference.
‘I want to go and meet everyone when I get back and find out whether they actually want to come here and play for Jamaica.’
‘Again, it’s the commitment. I will be making sure that we have a conversation with all the players. We have a list.’
Despite having made a brief appearance in a competitive fixture for England, FIFA regulations allow players to switch if they have played fewer than four competitive matches before the age of 21.