Jamaica Football Federation president Michael Ricketts claims Mason Holgate has applied for a Jamaican passport ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
The Everton defender is yet to comment, but he is among a number of players that Ricketts says "are in the process of acquiring a passport" before the tournament in Qatar next year.
The JFF chief said he is hopeful of convincing Max Aarons to switch allegiances but was confident of snapping up the other players on his shortlist which included Michail Antonio, Demarai Gray, Nathan Redmond, Andre Gray, Isaac Hayden, Liam Moore, Kemar Roofe and Ivan Toney - as well as Holgate.
Reading defender Moore already has a Jamaican passport and Ricketts said all the others - apart from Aarons and Antonio - have started the process to get one.
"I see Andre Gray, Demarai Gray, Isaac Hayden, Mason Holgate, Liam Moore, who already has his Jamaican passport, Nathan Redmond, Kemar Roofe and Ivan Toney. All of these, we are in the process of acquiring their Jamaican passports," Ricketts told SportsMax TV.
"The process has become a little tedious because of the Covid pandemic but the process is ongoing and we are hopeful we will get the passports for these gentlemen in reasonable time.
"We have been having discussions. I just spoke with the Permanent Secretary for Sport and he has agreed to try and help us to facilitate and to expedite the process."
Jamaica head coach Theodore Whitmore also said, as per Voice Online, that Holgate was on his list of players to represent the country.
"We continue to work on having the best players to represent Jamaica," he said.
“The likes of Mason, and quite a few others, are on the list.
"Once the heart is with Jamaica, nothing can stop the players whether that be interest from England, America or anybody else."
