Dean Henderson has fired a warning to fellow Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, saying he does not intend to sit on the bench next season.
After starring on loan for Sheffield United, Henderson has returned to Old Trafford after signing a new five-year contract at Manchester United.
With De Gea's form having dropped off in recent seasons, the formerly untouchable No.1 appears in serious danger of losing his job to the 23-year-old.
And the England international has underlined that threat by telling his club team-mate that he returned to Old Trafford with every intention to play regularly.
“The aim is for me to play football next season and I don’t want to be not playing after last season. Coming off a good season with momentum, it wouldn’t be clever for me to sit around and not play football. I don’t think that would help any parties at all," the England international said.
"David de Gea has obviously been a great goalkeeper first and foremost for many years and he's been phenomenal.
“That’s something I aspire to be, to have a career like him at the club so I'll be going back in first day of the pre-season working my socks off to get in that starting line-up."
Henderson went on a series of five loans over five years, picking up valuable minutes as he's developed into a full senior international.
As he pushes for a starting role with both Man Utd and England, Henderson insists that there is only so much he can learn from training.
“You can get many things from training, and obviously learn off someone like David and the other goalkeepers and goalkeeper coaches, but I don’t think there’s any substitute for game time," he said.
"I went out from Man Utd five years ago. I started at Stockport, Grimsby, Shrewsbury and then Sheffield, which shows how much I’ve learned out on my own.
"I’ve picked up experiences that happen in games because they’re situations you don’t really get in training. I’m under no illusions that I’m not going to improve just sat on the bench. I need that game time.”
