Dean Henderson could be forced to stay at Man Utd after injury to fellow keeper

10 August 2023 , 20:49

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Dean Henderson could be forced to stay at Man Utd after injury to fellow keeper

Dean Henderson's proposed switch from Manchester United to Nottingham Forest could be scuppered after the Red Devils were hit by an injury blow.

Henderson spent last season on loan at the City Ground, and was a standout performer before his season was curtailed by injury. Forest manager Steve Cooper wasn't prepared to let the 26-year-old simply head back to Old Trafford, and has been battling to keep him on either another loan or permanent deal.

Even after signing Arsenal stopper Matt Turner this week, Cooper reiterated that he still wanted to keep Henderson at the club. And the one-cap England international seemed surplus to requirements at his parent club following the signing of Andre Onana from Inter Milan.

But the landscape has suddenly changed at United. Back-up keeper Tom Heaton, who earlier this summer was denied a move to Luton Town, has now been ruled out from the opening weeks of the season with a calf injury.

In a released statement, the club said: "Tom Heaton is out of Manchester United’s Premier League season opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Monday The experienced goalkeeper sustained an injury in training that is still being assessed but he is expected to be unavailable for the first few weeks of the season.”

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Manager Erik ten Hag is expected to give a more detailed update in his pre-match press conference on Friday, but now faces a critical decision as to whether to keep Henderson on board as cover. David de Gea left the club this summer after his contract expired while another stopper in the club ranks, Matej Kovar, is expected to join Bayer Leverkusen.

Dean Henderson could fetch £20million for Manchester United (Jon Hobley/Getty Images)

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Letting Henderson go would therefore leave him drastically short of cover. Furthermore, Onana's form thus far in pre-season has been patchy, with the Cameroon international embarrassed in the friendly with Lens on Saturday, beaten by a Florian Sotocas strike from the centre circle.

But the Dutch boss also needs to push through player sales if he is to build on his work in the transfer market this summer. He's already splashed out more than £170million as the club prepare to return to the Champions League.

Heaton, 37, has been back at United for two seasons after being signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021, but is yet to play a Premier League game for the club. His only appearances have come in the League Cup and Europa League.

Fraser Watson