Nottingham Forest 's on-loan keeper Dean Henderson has blasted his parent club Manchester United for wasting a year of his career.
The goalkeeper claims the club went back on a promise that he would be the first-choice keeper, instead they left him kicking his heels in the reserves. Speaking in an interview with talkSPORT, he didn't hold back when speaking out about the difficult time in his career.
He stated: "To be honest, it has been the toughest 12 months of my career. It's been hard and I am so glad I got out the other side of it.
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"The conversation I had with United after the Euros was that I was going back to Old Trafford to be number one. I got COVID and when I came back I should have still been number one.
"But nobody followed through with what they told me. It was frustrating as well because I turned down so many good loans last summer. It's criminal at my age, I wasted twelve months. I was fuming. I worked hard off the pitch and on the training pitch to keep myself improving day in and day out. I'm now looking forward to a good season with Forest."
So did Henderson have to convince the new manager Erik Ten Haag to let him leave?
"I didn't speak to him, I didn't even want him to see me in training because I knew he would probably want to keep me.
"I tried to do it all before the season finished. I told the hierarchy I want to play football, I don't want to be here playing second fiddle. That was how it was panned out and it was sorted before he came through the door. I haven't spoken to him since."
The England international will bring experience of the top-flight as Forest look to hold their own next term. Thirteen of his 29 appearances for his parent club have come in the league, while he secured promotion to the top tier on loan at Sheffield United and returned for a second spell at Bramall Lane following their step up.
Henderson has also represented United in Europe. Last season, he featured against Young Boys in the Champions League as one of his three matches played.
As well as the Blades, he has previously had loans at Shrewsbury Town, Grimsby Town and Stockport County And he made his debut for England two years ago, in a 3-0 friendly win over Republic of Ireland.
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