Man Utd goalkeeper Dean Henderson set to start as BACKUP at Crystal Palace despite £20m transfer

MANCHESTER UNITED'S Dean Henderson will be expected to compete for the No1 spot at Crystal Palace - despite his £20m price tag.

The shot-stopper is closing in on a permanent deal with Roy Hodgson's side.

Henderson, 26, is set to have his medical today and will sign a five-year contract at Selhurst Park.

His move to South London brings to an end his 12-year spell with the Red Devils where he has challenged David De Gea for a starting spot.

But his pricey transfer will not gift him with the No1 shirt at Palace as he will have to fight Sam Johnstone for it.

The academy graduate joined United when he was 14 and made his senior debut in 2015.

Henderson has since had six loan spells at Stockport, Grimsby, Shrewsbury and Sheffield United - where he earned them Championship promotion.

His remarkable effort at Bramall Lane earned him his first and only England call-up in 2020.

More recently he spent the season at Nottingham Forest but made just 20 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign due to a thigh injury.

Steve Cooper was keen to steal Erik ten Hag's No2 but the Eagles came in to swoop him away.

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The England international will replace Vicente Guaita - who is expected to depart the Eagles after falling out with Hodgson after refusing to play in pre-season friendlies.

Henderson will join Palace's new signings Jefferson Lerma and Matheus France from Flamengo.

But the South London side are still on the hunt for a Wilfred Zaha replacement who departed last month on a free transfer to Galatasaray.

Leicester's Kelechi Iheanacho is a key target for Hodgson's squad as well as Paris Saint-German's Hugo Ekitike.

Meanwhile, United are lined-up to sign goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce to back-up summer arrival Andre Onana.