Manchester United FC player Dean Henderson, who is serving a season-long loan at Premier League side Sheffield United, is sceptical about his future in a Red Devils shirt.
The English goalkeeper was loaned out to Sheffield United in 2018, and the loan was further extended for one more season last summer. During the course of his two-year loan spell at Bramall Lane, Henderson has evolved into a fantastic shot- stopper and has made his name known all across the Premier League with his superb performances in the 2019-20 season.
The 23-year old goalkeeper’s loan spell with the Blades is set to expire on 30th June, which is the standard date for expiry of footballing contracts.
However, the present season has seen a lot of unexpected circumstances owning to the ongoing pandemic crisis. As a result, football sides around the world have extended the expiring contracts of certain players up till the end of the current campaign.
Henderson’s case, however, seems a bit different than other players. He is widely tipped to be the successor to David de Gea at Old Trafford, with the Spanish goalkeeper’s performances having taken a turn for the worse in the past two seasons.
De Gea, who once considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in modern football, is nearing the age of 30.
Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may choose to replace the Spaniard as the first-choice keeper of the Premier League side as early as next season. In such a scenario, Henderson’s availability is a major factor. If Manchester United FC allows Henderson to extend his stay at Sheffield United further than 30th June, there may be repercussions for Solskjaer and his side as they seek to consolidate a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Henderson, who is a former England U-21 international, has enjoyed a superb 2019-20 campaign with the Blades. The player has kept ten clean sheets in the Premier League so far which is the second-highest in England’s top-flight football league and is surpassed only by Burney’s Nick Pope.
The amusing case is that both of Henderson’s teams, Manchester United FC and Sheffield United FC are vying for next season’s Champions League spot.
Although the Red Devils have the opportunity to recall their player from the Blades after 30th June, doing so will only invite media and public scrutiny regarding the petty nature of the Premier League side. If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chooses not to recall Henderson, Sheffield will get a major boost in their quest to finish in the top four at the expense of Manchester United FC.
