Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag is keeping tabs on Dean Henderson amid suggestions the Cumbrian may yet have a future at Old Trafford.

The goalkeeper has long been linked with a move away from the club at a time David De Gea remains first-choice.

Henderson is currently on a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest, where he is working his way back from a thigh injury.

The 26-year-old has impressed in league and cup for the City Ground club.

A fresh report in The Times says Man Utd boss Ten Hag is "keeping an eye" on Henderson's progress, as he weighs up goalkeeping decisions in the summer.

It comes as the club consider their next move on De Gea, who could see a contract etension triggered, but Man Utd are said to prefer a longer deal but on reduced terms by the Spaniard.

Should Henderson return to his parent club and push his way back into first-team consideration, it would dash Carlisle United's hopes of a sell-on windfall from a big-money transfer.

But there would be potential benefits from a Henderson run in the first team, given previous comments from the Carlisle hierarchy on the situation.

In a fans' forum last summer, Blues co-owner Steven Pattison said: "When Dean was in the Man United team, we [would] get so much every ten games.

“It would probably work out better if he played for Man United for the next five years, or whatever.

“Unfortunately, whatever happened – he got injured and the other fella got back in, the Spanish guy [De Gea] who’s not very good. I don’t think he is.

“So we need Dean to be sold…[or], in my opinion, actually in the Man United team.

“If that happens, we still get a windfall.”

Recent reports suggested meetings were being held at Old Trafford over the future of a number of players including Hdenderson, who joined them from Carlisle's academy back in 2011.

Forest have been credited with interest in signing the Whitehaven-born star permanently, but that could depend on their Premier League survival - whilst a longer stay for Paris St Germain loan star Keylor Navas, who joined Forest after Henderson suffered a thigh injury, is also a consideration.