3 reasons why Dean Henderson should replace David de Gea as Manchester United's first-choice goalkeeper next season
In the past few years, Manchester United have never had more than one prolific player for a specific position but the Red Devils now find themselves in a contrasting situation.
United's current number one goalkeeper David de Gea has been drastically losing form over the past two years, and a new star in the form of loanee Dean Henderson has emerged as one of the Premier League's top stoppers at Sheffield United.
The Manchester United board find themselves in a pretty tight spot as they are going to have to choose between one of their best-ever keepers and an upcoming youth player who can serve them in their long-term future.
A similar situation arose at Chelsea a few years back when the Blues had to choose between long-term faithful Petr Cech and an already established loanee, Thibaut Courtois.
Today, we take a look at the three reasons why the red half of Manchester should opt to choose Henderson as their number one keeper in the summer ahead of current first-team stopper De Gea.
Also Read: De Gea v Henderson: Who is the future of Manchester United?
#3 David De Gea is way past his peak now
De Gea's form has only dropped since the 2018 World Cup and this has visibly impacted the United team to a large extent. There was a time when the Red Devils were going through turmoil with managers getting replaced, results being inconsistent and during that time, the only player who kept them in the run was De Gea.
Times have now changed and the Spain international has found it difficult to maintain his form in the past few years. This makes it the perfect time for United to cash in on De Gea in the transfer market as European giants like Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are financially ready to welcome the keeper.
Moreover, the Red Devils don't even need to find a replacement as loanee Henderson has been proving his mettle in the Premier League and can fill De Gea's shoes perfectly with immediate effect this summer.
#2 Henderson has got age on his side and boasts Premier League experience
A big challenge when a Premier League club wants to find a replacement for their long-term goal-keeper is the fact that not all shot-stoppers can match the intensity of the English top-flight.
Top clubs like Arsenal, Everton, and Manchester City have suffered this challenge in the past and this is a big problem for the club board to ponder upon when signing replacements.
Considering De Gea's recent performances, if the United board would have contemplated replacing the ex-Atletico player, they at least wouldn't have to face this challenge.
Henderson has proven himself in the Premier League and if this season is to be considered, he has been one of the best goalkeepers in the division.
The England Under-21 star also has time on his side being just 22 years old. He can solve United's big problem by cementing his position in the first team and rewarding their faith with his performances for decades to come.
#1 Henderson has statistically been much better than De Gea this season
One of the big reasons for Sheffield United's shocking breakthrough in the Premier League has been the presence of Henderson in between the sticks. The 22-year-old has been brilliant for the Blades and his statistics justify his outstanding performances.
When compared to De Gea at United, Henderson beats his parent club's number one in almost every statistic. The Englishman has 9 clean sheets compared to the Spaniard's 5 and has made 79 saves compared to De Gea's 65 in the Premier League this season.
What needs to be highlighted is the fact that while De Gea is supported by a £100 million plus valued back-four, Henderson has played with a newly promoted side this season.
If the on-loan Sheffield keeper can produce this kind of performance at a relatively smaller club, there is no doubt he can replicate or even upgrade it at Old Trafford.
Also Read: De Gea has cost Man Utd 10 goals since Ferguson retired – but which goalkeepers have fared worse?