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Jamaica pursues New York Red Bulls' Bradley Wright-Phillips

The Jamaican national soccer team is looking to add New York Red Bulls' star striker Bradley Wright-Phillips to its roster. 
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The Jamaican national soccer team is looking to add New York Red Bulls' star striker Bradley Wright-Phillips, according to the Jamaica Gleaner

National team manager Roy Simpson has confirmed that the Jamaica Football Federation has reached out to Wright-Phillips, and that he expressed appreciation for the offer. Wright-Phillips requested time to discuss the offer with his family after first being contacted by the JFF in early August. 

Wright-Phillips, a British national, traces his Jamaican roots to his grandmother. He would follow in the footsteps of another MLS standout, Houston's Giles Barnes, who plays for Jamaica after coming through England's youth and league system.

Wright-Phillips has scored 42 goals in 65 appearances since signing with the Red Bulls in 2013, including a record-tying 27 goals last season and a team-leading 14 this season. He recorded 77 goals in 272 appearances with five clubs in the United Kingdom, including Manchester City.  

Wright-Phillips was named to the MLS All-Star team in 2014. The Red Bulls signed his brother, Shaun, a long-time Premier League veteran, this summer.

Another one of Wright-Phillips's teammates, Kemar Lawrence, currently plays for Jamaica, which was runner-up at this past summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup and needed late heroics against Nicaragua to reach the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying. Jamaica is in a tough qualifying group with Costa Rica, Panama and Haiti.

- Alex Nieves