Nottingham Forest now left stunned in quest to sign ‘insane’ 26-year-old

Nottingham Forest transfer target Dean Henderson has been named in the Manchester United squad that will travel to the USA for a pre-season tour. The Red Devils are yet to complete the signing of Andre Onana from Inter Milan

United confirmed this news on their official website yesterday.  Henderson is currently back in training with the Red Devils as he aims to increase his fitness levels after missing the second half of last season through injury.

Henderson was on loan at Forest for the 2022/23 campaign. He was one of the club’s first new signings of the summer after winning promotion and he didn’t disappoint when he was called upon.

The 26-year-old is now going to be part of Erik ten Hag’s squad in the United States. It does feel as though Henderson’s days at Old Trafford are numbered, however, this could give him a chance to prove himself.

Henderson wants to move to Forest. That seems pretty clear after he seemed to fire a shot at United following his arrival at the City Ground over some broken promises the season previous.

The United boss will keep him around for now it seems; especially with Onana yet to put pen to paper. Now, it will be interesting to see whether he will be fit enough to play in the USA at all.

Henderson is a quality goalkeeper. During his time at Sheffield United, the player was raved about by Sander Berge. He called the stopper ‘insane’ and Forest would be getting themselves a quality signing.

Forest target Henderson named in Manchester United touring party

Forest fans worshipped Henderson last season. He made 20 appearances and kept six clean sheets; the most of any goalkeeper in the Premier League outside of the top six at that stage of the season.

Henderson stayed at the City Ground even when he picked up his injury. He could often be spotted in the stands when the team were performing and at the end of the season, he cut a relieved figure after Forest beat Arsenal.

This is a huge blow for Forest, however, in their pursuit of Henderson. Hopefully, he’s going as a glorified tourist to continue his rehabilitation and once Onana arrives he can leave to complete a move to Forest.

A bombshell like this won’t have gone down well with the club’s supporters. They are growing a little anxious over everything and hopefully, things can be revived with the Henderson deal.

READ MORE

Among the players on Nottingham Forest’s summer shortlist, it is not hard to spot a theme emerging.

As well as a desire to strengthen down the spine of the side — in goal, in the centre of defence, in central midfield and up front (as well as at left-back) — there is another kind of player the club are looking at; one area of the pitch where they are focusing a lot of attention. More than any other position, in fact.

Among the players they have looked at, there are at least five players who are either wingers or forwards who are comfortable playing in wider positions.

This can be explained away by the lack of goals in the Forest side last season — Forest scored only 38 goals in 38 Premier League games, which was the fifth-worst in the division.

The need for more attacking threat is obvious. Steve Cooper has spoken about it himself — the desire to take another step forward this season; to add more goals to a side that ultimately survived by making themselves harder to beat.

Forest will not abandon their core principle of being difficult to break down, but there is a clear desire to be more ambitious in their approach.

The search for wide men could also be seen as careful planning, in case anyone does deliver a bid for Brennan Johnson that hits the number at which Forest would be prepared to do business. That figure is understood to be around £50million, which is significantly more than the £30million put on the table by Brentford. But with Aston Villa, newly qualified for Europe, also keen, it is unlikely to be the end of that saga.

Whether Johnson is ultimately sold or not, it is an area of the pitch that is an obvious priority for Forest to strengthen and add to the quality already provided in the final third by Taiwo Awoniyi, Morgan Gibbs-White and Johnson, who scored 23 of Forest’s 38 goals between them.

Willian was pursued hard, having been given a tour of the training ground and offered a two-year contract, in an effort to lure him away from Fulham.

But while a Steve Cooper charm offensive has attracted some big names to Forest — such as Jesse Lingard last summer — the pull of living in London was too much for the Brazilian, who opted to remain at Craven Cottage, despite the fact that Fulham were offering a shorter deal.