Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson in his recent interview has fired shots at the Red Devils over their handling of his situation at the club. Henderson has failed to establish himself as a starter between the sticks at United due to the presence of the world-class David de Gea.
The England international as a result has endured on another loan spell, this time with newly promoted side Nottingham Forest. However, Henderson has accused United of making false promises to him during the 2021/22 season, where he was promised a starting role.
‘I was fuming’ reveals Dean Henderson over Man United treatment
Dean Henderson had returned from his three-year long loan at Sheffield United in 2020, to finally make the first-team of Man United last summer. However, after 86 appearances across three seasons at Sheffield where he managed an impressive 35 clean-sheets Henderson was limited to a mere 3 games at Old Trafford last season.
Furious with such little game time at the peak age of 25, Henderson opted to leave and joined his former teammate Jesse Lingard at Nottingham. But that didn’t stop him from lashing out at his boyhood club. While talking to talkSPORT, Henderson said, “To be quite honest with you, it’s probably been the toughest 12 months of my career. It’s been tough, it’s been hard and I’m so happy I’ve come out the other end of it now.
“The conversation I had, coming out of the Euros squad (with England), was that you’re coming back here (to United) to be the No 1 goalkeeper. I got Covid, then unfortunately no-one followed through with anything they told me.
“It’s frustrating as well, because I turned so many good loans down last summer for that reason and they wouldn’t let me go. To sit there and waste 12 months is criminal, really, at my age. I was fuming.”
Dean Henderson further disclosed that he avoided meeting new boss Erik ten Hag since he knew he would be insisted upon not leaving the club. The 25-year-old wants to play regularly and has managed the same by sealing his loan move to Nottingham.
Henderson said, “No. I didn’t want him [Ten Hag] to see me in training. Because I knew that he probably wanted to keep me. So I told the hierarchy that I need to play football, I don’t want to be here and play second fiddle.”
The ‘keeper has enjoyed surplus minutes during the 2020/21 season under the then boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Henderson started 26 games to De Gea’s 36 helping the club to a second-place finish in the Premier League. However, with the World Cup staged later this year Henderson has asserted he wants to make the England squad for the tournament.
Meanwhile, United will have veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton as deputy to David De Gea. The 36-year-old was signed for free last summer on a two-year deal.