Erik ten Hag has spoken about the Manchester United ‘keeper, Dean Henderson, who is on loan at Nottingham Forest for the 2022/23 season in order to get valuable first team minutes and experience [Man Utd].
Henderson joined Steve Cooper’s side back in the summer as he was frustrated at his lack of game time at Old Trafford, which was not entirely his own making because he struggled with Covid-19 in the summer of 2021 and even though, he was told by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he was going to be his number one for the start of the season (which is something that he was extremely frustrated about) [via The Athletic] the form of David de Gea and his illness, meant that he never got that opportunity.
He said: “The conversation I had, coming out of the Euro 2020 squad, was that you’re coming back (to Manchester United) to be the number one goalkeeper. I got COVID-19 — unfortunately, no one followed through with anything they told me.
“I turned so many good loans down last summer for that reason, and they wouldn’t let me go. It was frustrating. To sit there and waste 12 months is criminal really, at my age. I was fuming.”
However, even though, he will not be able to feature in the game against United at Old Trafford because a loan player cannot play against their parent club in the Premier League, ten Hag has had an opportunity to watch Henderson on TV or via video footage and the Dutchman says he has been impressed by the Englishman. Ten Hag also reveals that United have been monitoring him closely, which could bode well for his long-term future at Old Trafford.
“Yeah, it’s very good. His levels are fantastic, we are following really strictly his performances and we are happy with the level he is showing. I am sure he is helping Nottingham Forest, and we are also happy that he cannot play in this game!” [via Man Utd].
Henderson has started 14 games for Nottingham Forest this season, and he has kept four clean sheets this term [Transfermarkt].
