‘He will be’ phenomenal: What Mourinho’s already said about new PIF target at Newcastle

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Newcastle United have lined up a move for Dean Henderson of Manchester United, according to a report.

The Red Devils have reportedly made the 24-year-old goalkeeper available for transfer.

And Eurosport have reported that Newcastle are keen on bringing him to St James’s Park in January.

Considering he’s playing Under-23 football for the Old Trafford club this season, you could say his future as a Manchester United player looks relatively gloomy.

But there’s no doubting his talent and if Jose Mourinho is to be believed, Newcastle could signing a player with ‘phenomenal’ potential.

Mourinho told The Times in June of this year, when discussing English goalkeepers: “I don’t think they are phenomenal goalkeepers or, in Dean Henderson’s case, not yet phenomenal. When I say not yet, I say he will be.”

Sincere

The interesting thing here is that the Portuguese coach was not Manchester United manager at the time.

And that’s important because had he been, these quotes could be considered more a confidence-boosting exercise than a sincere opinion.

But the fact that Mourinho – who never played Henderson during his stint – had been gone from Old Trafford some two-and-a-half years should excite Newcastle fans.

Remember, January is on the horizon and there’ll be a lot of silly rumours flying around – especially regarding the St James’s Park club, given their newfound wealth.

But Henderson to Tyneside genuinely has legs and given Mourinho’s standing and experience in football, it does mean something if he reckons the Englishman really can be ‘phenomenal’.