Gareth Southgate has ruled out Mason Greenwood gatecrashing his Euro 2024 plans - despite indicating he could potentially return to the England fold after the tournament.
The Manchester United winger, currently on loan at Getafe, has flourished in Spain after all criminal charges against his name were dropped in February 2023 following the withdrawal of key witnesses.
Greenwood is expected to leave United on a permanent transfer this summer but despite his goalscoring form, Southgate has made it abundantly clear he is not currently part of his thinking.
Southgate said: "Well for me I don’t think it’s something for pre-Euros. I think allowing him to get his career going again abroad appears to have been a good move but I have to say I have not tracked it closely. I think at this moment in time it would be a big distraction for the team and let’s see where that leads next season."
Despite hinting Greenwood's international future could be reconsidered in the future - Southgate noted he would have to carry out his own personal investigation into the player's conduct before he reopened the door to the forward.
He added: "I would need to know more details about the whole thing before it was an option."
Jamaica have been loitering in the background and they would be prepared to hand Greenwood an international lifeline in the future as he qualifies to represent the Reggae Boyz via his father, Andrew.
The 22-year-old has made just one appearance for the Three Lions having made his senior debut in a 1-0 Nations League win in Iceland back in September 2020. However, the landmark was somewhat soured after Greenwood and Phil Foden were later sent home by Southgate after the pair broke strict quarantine regulations at the team hotel in Reykjavik.
Greenwood has scored eight times and assisted five goals in Spain since sealing his surprise move to Getafe. The Madrid-based club would like to keep the forward on a permanent transfer at the end of the season but they will face competition from other clubs in Europe with Atletico Madrid believed to be among Greenwood's admirers.
Speaking in late February, United's new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe suggested the club could welcome Greenwood back to Old Trafford this summer.
Ratcliffe said: “It’s a fresh decision. I can talk about the principle. I am not going to talk about Mason. I am familiar with it. The principle is the important one. We will have other issues going forward. You are dealing with young people who have not always been brought up in the best circumstances, who have a lot of money and they don’t always have the guidance they should have.
“What we need to do when we have issues like that is understand real effects, not the hype. Then we need to make a fair decision in the light of the club’s values. That’s what we need to do and that’s how we will deal with it.”
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