Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton has suffered a significant injury which will keep him out for the ‘first few weeks’ of the season, a club statement read.
The club’s website said:
"The experienced goalkeeper sustained an injury in training that is still being assessed but he is expected to be unavailable for the first few weeks of the season."
Heaton, 37, featured in United’s pre-season tour in the United States and is seen as a key leadership figure in United’s dressing room hierarchy.
The injury could have a domino effect in how United’s goalkeeping department is reshuffled heading into the Premier League season opener. André Onana is the obvious No1 choice between the posts, but it was expected that Tom Heaton would be manager Erik Ten Hag’s second choice. What is interesting now is that the injury could mean that United have second thoughts on letting Dean Henderson leave for Nottingham Forest, should an offer come in.
With Matěj Kovář on his way out to Bayer Leverkusen after the two clubs agreed a fee, Nathan Bishop leaving for Sunderland and Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki rejecting the chance to come to Old Trafford, it leaves the Red Devils short on available backup for Onana for at least the first few weeks of the season.
It will be interesting to see where this develops, but it may well be a case that reserve goalkeeper(s) Radek Vitek or Ondrej Mastny find themselves on the bench in August and September.