I don't get what Ole and the club are thinking here, you had 3 first team keepers at the end of last season and then added Heaton this summer while Henderson and DDG are still battling it out for the number one spot, but it doesn't look like any of them are leaving or ever had any intentions of leaving.
Henderson: Apparently (according to the Athletic) Wolves made an enquiry for him and were rebuffed immediately, so it seems there s no intention to sell.
DDG: With the wages he is on, PSG was the only realistic option for him, but now Donnarumma has gone there, that rules that move out and apparently (again according to the Athletic, DDG's partner and daughter are in Manchester looking to relocate to the city.
Heaton signed for 2 years and Grant has just signed on for another season.
So with Romero finally leaving and the club bringing the numbers down to 3 keepers, why bring in a new keeper?
I don't get what Ole and the club are thinking here, you had 3 first team keepers at the end of last season and then added Heaton this summer while Henderson and DDG are still battling it out for the number one spot, but it doesn't look like any of them are leaving or ever had any intentions of leaving.
Henderson: Apparently (according to the Athletic) Wolves made an enquiry for him and were rebuffed immediately, so it seems there s no intention to sell.
DDG: With the wages he is on, PSG was the only realistic option for him, but now Donnarumma has gone there, that rules that move out and apparently (again according to the Athletic, DDG's partner and daughter are in Manchester looking to relocate to the city.
Heaton signed for 2 years and Grant has just signed on for another season.
So with Romero finally leaving and the club bringing the numbers down to 3 keepers, why bring in a new keeper?
I think the original plan was for Henderson to have one more season out on loan last season, and to then come in and compete for the number 1 spot this season, meaning that DDG would have had 3 seasons or so of being the undisputed number 1 while he is here under the terms of that massive contract he's on. That sort of planning made sense.
However, the strength of Henderson's performances for Sheffield Utd and DDG's decline towards the end of that season meant that we had to shelve that and give Henderson a big contract as well.
Heaton has come in because I think the club anticipated DDG leaving after the end of last season. However, the Donnarumma move to PSG caught everyone off-guard, and it now looks like he'll be here for this season as well. Heaton is a good, strong keeper and can be trusted to come in and hold the fort if Henderson and DDG don't maintain their standards.
Grant, I think was not originally in the plan for this year. The club were in discussions with him before abruptly calling them off, which peeved Grant. The fact he ultimately signed up, even after Heaton has come in, suggests to me that we should see him as an extension of the coaching, rather than playing, staff. He won't see the pitch unless we have a freak injury crisis.
I think what's going to end up happening is DDG moves on after this season and the keeping situation resolves itself. Grant will likely be gone and replaced by Kovar, or we buy someone else in as more experienced cover.