José Mourinho’s tenure at Manchester United was blighted by conspiracies and rifts but the former Chelsea and soon to be Roma manager has showered praise United goalkeeper Dean Henderson. United’s new number one didn’t make any appearance under Mourinho but still managed to leave a lasting impression.
Mourinho sanctioned three loan deals for the 24-year-old as he had spells at Grimsby, Shrewsbury and finally Sheffield United, where he had his breakthrough season in 2018-19.
Sam Johnstone was also highly rated by Manchester United, another goalkeeper José Mourinho allowed to leave the club but this time on a permanent basis.
“I think they are good goalkeepers (Pickford, Johnstone & Henderson),” he told The Times. “I don’t think they are phenomenal goalkeepers or, in Dean Henderson’s case, not yet phenomenal. When I say not yet, I say he will be.
“I met him at (Manchester) United when he was a kid and I always remember him asking me to go on loan. He was saying when I come back, I come back to be the No 1. He told me that when he was the fourth choice. He is a kid with an incredible self-confidence and I think he is ready.”
Henderson has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the Manchester United first-team after two successful loan spells under Chris Wilder at Sheffield United. The goalkeeper signed a new four-year contract last summer and will look to cement his place as Solskjær’s trusted number one next season.
David de Gea’s future has been thrown into doubt after the Spain international lost his place to Henderson, but with two years remaining on his contract and astronomical wages seemingly an issue, it will be tough for United to find any suitors.
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