According to a recent report by The Sun, Manchester United are ready to provide Dean Henderson, who is currently playing on loan at Sheffield United, a lucrative new contract so that they can fend off interest from Chelsea. The same source has also revealed that the Red Devils are prepared to offer the English keeper a significant pay rise to over £100,000-a-week as they see him as their number one goalkeeping option in the long-run.
What Makes Henderson An Ideal Goalkeeping Option For Man United In The Long-Run?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has often opted to switch his goalkeepers during the recently postponed Premier League campaign. David De Gea has usually started in the league matches. At the same time, Sergio Romero has gotten the nod to operate as the first-team keeper in both the domestic and European cup competitions. Even though the Argentine goalie has done remarkably well for the Mancunian outfit over the past six months, De Gea has struggled to perform at a high level after committing some uncharacteristic errors which cost his team a few results during this campaign.
In contrast, Henderson has been playing some of the best football of his career under Chris Wilder’s stewardship at Bramall Lane. Having played a game less, the Blades are currently sitting pretty in the sixth place, just two points behind the Red Devils in the league table.
The English shot-stopper has featured in 30 matches for the Yorkshire outfit this term, conceding 24 goals while securing 11 clean sheets in all competitions which goes to highlight his growing influence in Wilder’s first-team. It is also worth noting that he has made 0.8 clearances per game and has a pass success rate of just 35.3% in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Despite making some vital clearances for his side so far this season, Henderson has often been instructed to go long when distributing the ball out from the back. Hence, he might find it challenging to adjust to Solskjaer’s playing style at Old Trafford, where he will be expected to play a lot of short passes out to his defenders.
What Will The English Custodian Bring To The Table?
Henderson is a dominant presence in the air as he is quite aggressive in the way he attacks the ball when under pressure from the opposition. He also boasts quick reflexes that enable him to pull off some important stops at the back. The English shot-stopper has the potential to be a calm and reliable option for Solskjaer in the coming years but only if Man United can tie him down to a new contract.
Should The Red Devils Retain Henderson’s Services For The Long-Term?
Henderson is yet to make a senior appearance for the Red Devils, so he might not fancy spending too much time on the bench next season. Therefore, the Man United boss will have to figure out what to do with De Gea following an underwhelming campaign from him thus far.
Romero has impressed a lot with his performances in the UEFA Europa League, but the 33-year-old is not a long-term solution. Maybe, parting ways with the Argentine keeper this summer could free up space for Henderson, who could finally get a chance to fight for a first-team spot at the Theatre of Dreams. All in all, it makes sense for Solskjaer to retain the English talent’s services for the long-run as he has the ceiling to become a Premier League great someday.
