Jose Mourinho says Dean Henderson is ‘ready’ to replace David de Gea as Manchester United’s No 1

Jose Mourinho says Dean Henderson is ‘ready’ to replace David de Gea as Manchester United’s No 1… but claims neither of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s goalkeepers are ‘phenomenal’

  • Jose Mourinho believes Dean Henderson is ready to replace David de Gea 
  • Henderson shared goalkeeping duties with the Spaniard last season
  • Ex-United boss Mourinho said neither of the shot-stoppers are ‘phenomenal’
  • But the manager claimed Henderson has the potential to reach the next level

Jose Mourinho believes Dean Henderson is ready to replace David de Gea as Manchester United‘s No 1 goalkeeper. 

Henderson got the chance to impress when De Gea was given time off to attend the birth of his first child but the Spaniard came back into the team ahead of the Europa League final.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer facing a decision over his first choice ‘keeper will be for the 2021-2022 campaign, former United boss Mourinho has backed the younger shot-stopper to takeover.

Jose Mourinho believes Dean Henderson is ready to replace David de Gea as Manchester United’s No 1 goalkeeper

Henderson and De Gea shared goalkeeping duties for the Red Devils last season

 Henderson and De Gea shared goalkeeping duties for the Red Devils last season

He told The Times: ‘I think they are good goalkeepers. 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”.

Mourinho said neither goalkeeper is 'phenomenal' but believes Henderson has the potential to reach that level

Mourinho said neither goalkeeper is ‘phenomenal’ but believes Henderson has the potential to reach that level

‘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 signed a five-year contract with the Red Devils last summer after returning from a succesful two-year loan spell with Sheffield United.

De Gea still has two years left to run on his contract but has been linked with a move back to Spain this summer, along with reported interest from Paris Saint Germain.

The 30-year-old had a night to forget in the Europa League final after he failed to save any of Villarreal’s penalties in the shoot-out, before missing the decisive spot-kick to hand United’s opponents the trophy.