Dean Henderson leaving Man Utd on loan in January?

Manchester United could be looking to loan Dean Henderson out in January, according to reports.

The 23-year-old spent the two previous seasons impressing at Sheffield United, before returning to the Red Devils over the summer to compete for the number one spot with David de Gea.

Aside from one start in the Champions League and two in the EFL Cup, Henderson has been sitting on the bench, seven games into the 2020-21 Premier League season.

ESPN are now reporting that Dean Henderson will be allowed to leave on loan for the second half of the season when the next transfer window opens in January:

“After returning from a successful loan spell at Sheffield United in the summer, Henderson is content with his role at the club playing back-up to David de Gea for now, but he has been told by England manager Gareth Southgate he will need to play more regularly if he hopes to challenge Everton’s Jordan Pickford for the No.1 spot at the European Championships.

“It opens up the possibility that Henderson, who has started three games this season, could be allowed to secure a loan move in January.”

Sergio Romero and Lee Grant are still on United’s books, so there’s plenty of options to replace the Englishman on the bench and in the cup competitions.

Henderson was instrumental in Sheffield United pulling off a shock promotion to the Premier League in 2018/19 and then finishing ninth in their first season back in the top flight.

So far this season the Blades are badly missing the shot-stopper as they currently prop up the table with just a single point from eight games and with only four clubs conceding more goals.

Should he fail to replace de Gea as number one between now and the new year, a loan move to a fellow Premier League side would make sense for Henderson in order for him to compete, and ultimately, overtake Jordan Pickford as England’s number one for Euro 2021.