Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) General Secretary Dennis Chung says forward Mason Greenwood has begun the process of obtaining a passport to play for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz.

Chung, however, told the Sunday Observer that Greenwood recently started the paperwork but nothing has been finalised, as it will take some time to complete.

“We are just going through the process and, as we’ve said before,” Chung said, “we are definitely trying to get him to come here, but nothing has been finalised yet.”

“My understanding is that he has a strong interest in representing us. I don’t know exactly what stage the process is at right now, but I do know it’s advanced; however, I’m not sure of the details.”

Greenwood, 22, a former Manchester United player, has represented England once at the senior level. FIFA’s rules say he can change allegiance because he was under 21 when he played for England in 2020.

Greenwood is looking to rebuild his career after being charged with attempted rape, domestic assault, and coercive behaviour in January 2022. Those charges were dropped in February 2023. He left Manchester United to join Marseille in a £30-million deal earlier this summer. Greenwood has made a strong start at Marseille, scoring two goals, providing two assists, and winning a penalty in his debut during a 5-1 win over Brest last weekend.

The Reggae Boyz are set to face Cuba in their Concacaf Nation’s League match at National Stadium on September 6. Chung says that, like many Jamaicans, he is hoping Greenwood will be available for selection for the game against Cuba.

“I am hoping that it will happen soon, but I guess there is a process to go through,” Chung said. “Personally, I hope that it will happen soon, and many people in Jamaica are hoping for that too, because he is an exceptional talent. I don’t know if he will be here for that game, but personally, I would like for that to happen.”

Chung says Greenwood has started the season in France’s top-flight competition with great success, and the JFF is looking forward to him bringing that form to the national side.

“He has started the season with a bang, and he was always an exceptional player from his time at Manchester United,” he said. “Talent like that doesn’t fade. I expect that he will continue to perform well for many years.”

Chung says new Head Coach Steve McClaren has also been working diligently to recruit other overseas-based players for the national team.

“The coach is personally making contact with the players he wants in the squad,” Chung said. “He knows talent and goes out there to identify them. That’s one of the reasons why he returned to the UK (United Kingdom), to talk to certain players he believes should be included in the squad.”