Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) General Secretary Dennis Chung says England-born footballer Mason Greenwood has not yet switched allegiance to Jamaica but is close.

Greenwood, 23, who is the top scorer in France’s Ligue 1 with 12 goals for Marseille, qualifies for Jamaica through his father, who was born in the country.

Chung says the process could be finalised before the next FIFA window, in March.

“We are still awaiting one final piece of documentation, but I have seen a lot of reports out there about the switching of allegiance and that sort of thing,” Chung told the Sunday Observer. “We don’t know that there is any back and forth. We were always waiting on one document and that is where it is right now.

“I think we are closer to completing it now than before, but we don’t know when it will happen because we don’t have control over these processes.

“I would certainly love that he comes before March, and I am also sure that everybody would and that is why we are working on it and so we are hoping that will happen, but we just have to wait on the process.”

Greenwood, a former Manchester United player, has one England cap, which he earned at the age of 18, making him eligible to switch allegiances under FIFA rules.

These rules say players who have featured in no more than three competitive matches before turning 21 are able to change nationalities.

Chung says that with the absence of Michail Antonio, who was injured in a car crash late last year, and ruled out for around a year, Greenwood’s arrival would boost the squad.

“The situation with Antonio is sad, and certainly he has always been a tower of strength in the team,”a he stated. “Certainly, if we could get Greenwood coming to substitute for him, that would be a big plus for us,” Chung said.

He also stressed that Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren has been constantly scouting players to improve the squad. He will be evaluating local talent when Jamaica plays Trinidad and Tobago in a two-match friendly series on February 6 and 9.

The first match will take place at the Montego Bay Sports Complex at 7:30 pm while the other game will be at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex at 8:00 pm.

“I know that the coach is now looking for one player, and for example, the games coming against Trinidad [are] to assess the local people, which we know have some significant talent here,” Chung said. “He is constantly looking at who he can bring into the team.

“In the last game, for example, we had Isaac Hayden who came in, so he is constantly looking at players, and it is not just one player that he is looking at.”