Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has responded to Dean Henderson ’s claim that it was “criminal” to hand the Spaniard the No.1 position back by suggesting that he prefers to “focus” on the present.
The two stoppers have been in a fierce battle to start between the sticks at Old Trafford over the past few seasons. It initially looked as though academy graduate Henderson had won the battle during the 2020/21 campaign with former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer playing him instead of the then out-of-form De Gea.
It did not pan out that way though. Henderson made just three appearances in all last season - something that he has labelled "criminal".
Speaking ahead of a loan move to Nottingham Forest, he said: "It was all planned out. I was almost gone before the manager came through the door and I haven't spoken to him since. To be honest with you, it's probably been the toughest 12 months of my career. It's been tough, it's been hard and I'm so happy I've got out the other end of it. I'm so excited to be here and ready to go.
"The conversation I had coming out of that Euros squad was ' you're coming back here to be the number one goalkeeper'. I got Covid, come back, I should have still been the number one, but unfortunately, no-one followed through with anything they told me.
"It was frustrating because I turned down so many good loans last summer for that reason and they wouldn't let me go. So, it was frustrating. To sit there and waste 12 months, it's criminal really at my age.”
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Now, De Gea has responded to those claims with the Spaniard instead stating that he has his eyes set on the current season and is not dwelling on what has occurred before.
Speaking during a press conference ahead of United’s Europa League showdown with Sheriff Tiraspol, De Gea said: "Well, I'm just here to do my job, to try to better every day, so I don't think it's the time to talk about what happened last season. I think we should focus on the season now."
Whilst Henderson is now enjoying more consistent first team football, his first few months as a Nottingham Forest player have not gone quite to plan. The 25-year-old has just one clean sheet to his name thus far having conceded 14 goals in just six games.
That record leaves Steve Cooper’s men in the relegation zone with just four points ahead of their showdown with Fulham in the East Midlands on Friday evening.
Elsewhere, the Red Devils elected to sign Newcastle United man Martin Dubravka on a season-long loan as a replacement for the departed Henderson, whilst they also have veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton to call upon.
