Manchester United’s list of former academy stars has a shining example in the form of Dean Henderson, who has now played a crucial role in Crystal Palace winning two trophies in a year.
After helping Crystal Palace win the FA Cup with a remarkable final performance against Manchester City, he hammered home his favourite status at Old Trafford by upsetting another rival.
This time, Liverpool have been fended off in a penalty shootout to give Palace the Community Shield honours, with Dean Henderson standing tall and making the difference in a 3-2 win in the shootout.
Considering United’s goalkeeping situation now, it’s a no-brainer that the current version of Dean Henderson walks straight into the first team.
Fortunately, they have Henderson 2.0 coming through the ranks. They can’t repeat that mistake with him.
Chido Obi shooting against Radek Vitek in a Man Utd training session, July 14, 2025
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Dean Henderson is one who got away
Sometimes, the club can’t be blamed for letting a young player go away, and he eventually finds another gear to his game and leaves the club looking foolish.
It happened with Paul Pogba when he went to Juventus for the first time. However, Dean Henderson’s case is completely different.
Henderson had shown clear signs that he had the talent, and more importantly, the personality and mentality to become a Premier League goalkeeper.
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He even was one at United, before the combination of an injury and the shadow of David de Gea consumed him.
Instead of being ruthless and cutting De Gea before he started to decline, United panicked, leaned even harder towards the Spaniard, and let a class homegrown goalkeeper slip through their ranks.
Not just that, but they did so after handing him a lucrative contract, ensuring United didn’t even get a good fee for him.
A disaster all around that has only aged worse as Henderson has made good on his obvious potential for Palace since moving.
Radek Vitek is effectively Henderson 2.0 for Man Utd
Only two years since Henderson joined Palace, United are facing a repeat of that situation with Radek Vitek.
United’s first-choice goalkeeper hasn’t convinced, and Vitek returned from an impressive loan at BW Linz, but he was not deemed ready for the first team.
That much is still digestible, since his experience in England was limited to a loan at Accrington. However, what comes next will be crucial.
Vitek joined Bristol City on loan in the Championship and is already off to a dream start at his new club.
If he continues this level of performance throughout the season, then he will be exactly at the same place Henderson was two years ago.
A Premier League could be the ideal next step, but United might find it hard to convince him to uproot himself again for a year when the No. 1 position at Old Trafford is there to be grabbed.
By this time next season, a decision will need to be made on the 6’6″, towering Czech goalkeeper, who has played well on every loan, and even for United in the odd game he has been given.
It will be deja vu for United. Do they learn from the mistake they made with Henderson, a mistake they have been given constant reminders of, by giving Vitek a long rope as United’s goalkeeper, or do they repeat it and see Vitek flourish elsewhere?