It had always been one of his stated ambitions since an early age and perhaps provides evidence that holding such lofty aspirations, allied with such a strong self-belief, can result in an extremely positive outlook.
We revisit a feature from a recent Inside United on Deano - and his drive and determination to reach the very top...
Five years ago, I chatted with Dean Henderson for one of his first interviews and found him utterly engaging, confident and articulate.
Although only moving up from Under-18s football and into the Reserves, at the time, he had already made an impression on the field and had a clear vision of how his future would map out.