A big update has emerged on Newcastle United transfer target Dean Henderson...
What's the talk?
According to reports, Manchester United have made the decision to send the shot-stopper out on loan for the 2022/23 campaign.
The report claims that they are willing to contribute to his salary in order to find him a new club for the season, due to his £120k-per-week wages.
A number of sides are said to be interested in the Englishman, with Newcastle, Bournemouth and Fulham all mentioned as possible destinations for him.
Newcastle can get rid of Dubravka
The Magpies must now act on this update by snapping the England international up this summer to bolster their goalkeeping options.
He must be brought in to compete with Martin Dubravka for the number one spot. Karl Darlow averaged a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.47 in his eight Premier League appearances earlier this season, suggesting that he is not fit to push the Slovakian for his place in the starting XI.
This means that Eddie Howe can benefit from signing another shot-stopper to create a competition between the goalkeepers - pushing each other on to improve.
Henderson can be the ideal player to bring in as he has a different set of skills to Dubravka that can make him a useful alternative, whilst he also has caught the eye playing in the Premier League for Manchester United and Sheffield United.
Alan Shearer previously dubbed the £40m gem as a "star in the making", whilst his ex-teammate Sander Berge once lavished him with praise as he said: “He’s insane. I’ve never been with such a good goalkeeper. One thing in matches, he is almost a defence alone at times, and you feel so secure with him.
“But people have to see him at training. It’s crazy. He saves balls from one yard. Sometimes I am completely speechless by how good he is. It’s like having two goalkeepers in goal with him. He’s awesome."
These comments show that he has been able to impress in the top-flight, which means that he would not be coming in as an unproven quantity.
He would be an upgrade on the £80k-a-week earning Dubravka in the way he sweeps up at the back. As per FBRef, Henderson ranks in the 95th and 96th percentiles for the percentage of crosses stopped and defensive actions outside the box per 90 over the last year in Europe's top five leagues.
The Toon number one, meanwhile, ranks in the 64th and 9th percentiles respectively for those two statistics. This shows that the Englishman would be a major improvement on him in that area of the pitch and that is why PIF must bring him in to give Howe an alternative option between the sticks.
AND in other news, Fewer touches than Dubravka: Newcastle's £72k-p/w passenger went missing in LCFC win...