'Love to have him' - Mason Greenwood offered international return by Jamaica coach who says Man Utd forward 'deserves a second chance'

Getafe loanee Greenwood made his sole England cap back in September 2020 - a 12-minute cameo off the bench against Iceland in a Nations League game. FIFA rules state players can switch international allegiance if they have made fewer than three senior appearances for one nation before turning 21; plus, they cannot have played for them for at least three years. Now, head coach Hallgrimsson has set his sights on bringing the Manchester United academy product into the Reggae Boyz's national setup.

He told The Athletic: "I really don’t like to talk about ‘what if’, but this, of course, has come to our mind. I would love to have him in my team. Like all coaches, I would like to have the best players in our team, but it’s always up to the player himself if he wants to do it.”

Greenwood had all charges dropped in a case relating to allegations of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour in February 2023. While the 22-year-old is likely to never play for United again, Hallgrimsson believes the forward deserves a "second chance".

He added: “That will then be up to the [Jamaican Football] Federation. It’s not the coach who is going to answer for something like that. I’m not an expert in this. I just look at the person. I think what he has gone through in the year and a half since it happened is worse than I can imagine, being in the press and on social media. I can only imagine what he has been going through. The case went through stages and the case was dropped, so it’s not up to me or anyone else to judge him on that.

“It was no less a person than Jesus Christ who said, those who are without sin should throw the first stone. Whatever happened, everybody at least deserves a second chance. And he knows that all eyes are on him. So it’s a big pressure and I am happy for the player that he is coming back because it is probably a trauma. It’s difficult to come (back) from, so I give him my support at least. He must have a strong mentality to start to play again and start to play so well.”

Greenwood has some big decisions to make about his future in the coming months. His time at Old Trafford could be over, after he was suspended by the club following his arrest in January 2022, and soon he must decide if he will join Getafe permanently and switch to Jamaica - which he is eligible to play for via his father, Andrew.

Greenwood, who has scored seven goals and bagged five assists while on loan at Getafe in La Liga, could next feature for the Spanish outfit on Saturday away to Valencia. Getafe currently sit 11th in the table.