Nottingham Forest Close to Signing United's Dean Henderson On Loan

Dean Henderson, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham

Nottingham Forest are in talks over a loan deal for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson although other clubs are also interested in the player. The 25-year-old goalkeeper will be the new number 1 for the newly promoted Nottingham Forest side provided he makes the switch. Meanwhile, Brice Samba is set to leave the club to join French outfit RC Lens after a heroic playoff for his current club.

Dean Henderson had a terrific season on loan with Sheffield United. This forced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to pick the goalkeeper ahead of United’s no.1 David de Gea on quite a few occasions in the 2020/21 season.

Dean Henderson, Nottingham Forest — Image obtained via the Peoples Person

However, this season Dean Henderson has played only 3 matches in senior competitions and has not featured in the Premier League (stats via transfermarkt). He aims to play for England and regular game time in the Premier League could help Henderson achieve that.

Lee Grant has already announced his retirement from the game, aged 39. Moreover, Middlesbrough also want to sign Tom Heaton who has graduated from Manchester United’s Youth Academy. Letting Henderson leave will be a huge blow for the club as they will be left with only one keeper, the man in form, David de Gea.

According to The Telegraph, Manchester United are ready to let Dean Henderson leave on a season-long loan to Nottingham Forest. The loan is said to be a straight deal that does not include any buy option. If the loan deal materializes, James Garner will return to Manchester United as the Premier League rule suggests that one club can not take two players on loan from the same club.

Dean Henderson deal update. Talks in progress also today between Man United and Nottingham Forest, no agreement yet on buy option clause value so it could be removed. 🔴🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #NFFC

Deal could be completed on simple loan. Work in progress.

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 16, 2022

Moreover, this would also make Dean Henderson ineligible to play against Manchester United. Henderson has a contract with United till 2025. Forest can pay some percentage of his wages, although it is unclear how much that percentage will be. If the deal takes place, Dean Henderson will not have a chance to prove his worth to the new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.

Why This Move Could Backfire For Manchester United?

For the last decade, David de Gea has been the main man and has won matches for United single-handedly on multiple occasions. Most elite clubs have a goalkeeper who does that on a regular basis. However, De Gea’s form and consistency dipped after 2018 and he returned to his best only in the last season. His comeback has compromised Henderson’s growth with the Red Devils.

Dean Henderson had started to give massive performances for Sheffield United in the 2019-2020 season. He was being the match-winner so consistently for Sheffield that people thought he would soon displace David De Gea as the number 1 keeper at Manchester United. He certainly has the potential to be the first-choice for Manchester United in the future. He could also cement his place in the England squad if he gets enough game time.

United can avoid an extra signing if Henderson stays at the club. The next season is going to be very crucial for the Red Devils considering the poor last season. David de Gea is criticized because of his weakness with the ball at his feet. This has also cost him a place in the Spanish National squad despite him being the best shot-stopper. In addition, Erik ten Hag prefers goalkeepers who are good with the ball at their feet.

If at all David de Gea struggles to fit in Ten Hag’s system, it would be a perfect opportunity for Dean Henderson. Moreover, considering the number of fixtures for next season, Henderson could still play a crucial role for United. There is also a possibility of David de Gea getting injured, although that has been very rare throughout his career. Even if United go ahead with this deal, United must not include a permanent buy option as he could be the next number 1 for the club.

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