Manchester United could solve two squad headaches with one Tottenham transfer

Manchester United have two clear transfer priorities for the summer: to sign a stable striker and a long-term midfielder. However, it is not just incomings that can cause potential issues this summer, but outgoings, too.

Dean Henderson has been a topic of much debate in recent seasons, with the goalkeeper leaving on loan to Nottingham Forest last summer without letting Erik ten Hag even getting a look at what he could offer the Dutchman this season.

“To be honest, it has probably been the toughest 12 months of my career,” Henderson told talkSPORT back in early August. “It has been tough, hard, and I am so happy I have gone out the other end of it.”

Henderson then detailed how he felt Manchester United did not live up to the promises they had given him while he was at the club.

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“The conversation I had coming out of the Euros squad was ‘you’re coming back here to be the No.1.’ I got COVID, came back, so I should have still been the No.1, but then unfortunately nobody followed through with what they had told me.”

He then went on to explain that the reason he left on loan so quickly is because he did not want Erik ten Hag to see his qualities. “I didn’t really want the manager to come in and see me in training because I knew that he’d probably want to keep me so I tried to do it all before I left for the season,” he said.

“I told the hierarchy that I need to be playing football, I don’t want to be here and play second fiddle, it was planned out. I was almost gone before the manager came through the door. I have not spoken to him since.”

At the time, this outburst from Henderson was seen as the beginning of the end of his Manchester United career, and it still very much feels like he will be moved on from the books this coming summer, despite impressing so far at Forest.

However, then comes a question as to where he would go. Henderson, at 25-years-old, is still young for a goalkeeper, and holds very high value – ruling out the chance of a mid-table Premier League side coming in for him. However, after Hugo Lloris’ horrid blunder against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, they may look to replace the Frenchman in the summer.

Tottenham themselves have a player who wants to leave in Harry Kane; and Erik ten Hag just so happens to be looking for a tall, powerful, proven goal scorer who is also technically sound with his feet, and Kane fits that profile to a tee.

Heading into what may be the peak of his career, the 29-year-old could be exactly what Ten Hag needs to fill a significant hole in Manchester United’s squad, and as a swap deal between the two players could solve multiple problems for both clubs, it may just be the answer.

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According to Transfermarkt, Harry Kane has a current value of around £80 million, when factoring in his age, contract length, position, and footballing ability. Dean Henderson, on the other hand, only has a market value of around £20 million, although there is no doubt that United will value him higher than this.

In order for a transfer to work, United will almost certainly need to offer Tottenham a Henderson-plus-cash deal to land Kane, with the monetary figure no doubt being above £50 million.

It’s a big ask – but it’s far from the craziest thing that has happened in football.