Lineker and Shearer’s feelings clear on Greenwood after ‘difficult’ Man Utd call

With Mason Greenwood scoring goals for Marseille and impressing in the Champions League, Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker offered their thoughts on the Manchester United academy graduate

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker have made it clear Mason Greenwood should not try and make a comeback to England. The 24-year-old netted twice in Marseille’s 3-2 win against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League.

Back in November, reports emerged suggesting Greenwood harboured ambitions of re-joining the England setup, having turned down a call-up from Jamaica’s national side. Three months earlier, he’d obtained Jamaican citizenship and a passport, but his refusal to answer the Reggae Boyz’s call hints he’s still holding out for a Three Lions return.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has already made it clear he won’t be selecting Greenwood. Assessing his situation, Shearer and Lineker believe the right decision for Greenwood is to carry on plying his trade overseas and turn out for Jamaica instead.

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On the Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said: “I want to talk about Mason Greenwood. He’s been doing brilliantly since. I know there’s a lot of controversy around him and he had that awfulness of his situation.

“He’s gone abroad and he’s performing, as he did last season, but this season at Marseille he’s performing really well. Another two goals yesterday, excellent finishes.”

Lineker added: “I think he’s decided he is not going to try and play for England and that he is going to play for Jamaica, which is another option for him. Do you think that makes sense? It would be difficult for him here wouldn’t it?”

Shearer replied: “I think it was the right decision for him to go to another country. He had to settle down and just try and go out and play football.

“I don’t think anybody ever questioned his ability. He was a very good football player with a lot of talent. I think we all knew that.”

Greenwood’s international career with England was limited to just one cap, earned in 2020 during a UEFA Nations League fixture against Iceland.

That same international break saw him and Phil Foden disciplined and sent home after both players allegedly breached Icelandic Coronavirus restrictions by meeting two women in a separate area of the Three Lions’ hotel.

Both footballers were required to apologise, with then England boss Gareth Southgate labelling them as “naive.”

Whilst Greenwood received a call-up for England’s Euro 2020 squad, an injury shortly before the tournament ruled him out of the competition.

This season, Greenwood has netted 13 goals and provided four assists in 20 appearances across all competitions for the French club. He recently gave his first interview since leaving United, where he praised his manager Roberto De Zerbi, the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion chief who now manages Marseille.

Greenwood told Telefoot: “I’m in a really good place thanks to the coach and my team-mates. I feel good and I hope to improve, to win more awards this season.

“Roberto De Zerbi? He’s the brains of the team, the architect of our game. He helps me understand football much better, he helps me improve every day.”

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