Despite netting in last night's 3-2 friendly defeat to Southampton, the ex-Leeds trainee faces an uncertain future at the Madejski with his route to the first team seemingly blocked by the first choice Forster-Goater striking partnership.
After a loan spell with a lower division side Alan pardew believes his burly youngster can find the Midas touch that will turn him into a First Division superstar.
"I may put Darius out on loan this week. he's a great product but by no means finished," admitted the Royals boss, speaking to the official site.
"He's ready and can play Second Division football, no problem. He needs to come on and grow in confidence and then can put the likes of Butler, Goater and Fozzy under real pressure."
Henderson has a career total of fifteen goals, eleven of which came in a prolific 2001-02 campaign. As Reading marched into Division One, big Darius played a big pre-Christmas role before succumbing to a series of niggling injury problems.
Last year the youngster's season was once more disrupted by injury and he made just three starts, but came on as a sub on twenty-one occasions. The season came to a sorry end as Henderson was guilty of missing two gilt-edged chances as Reading crashed out of the Play-Offs to Wolves.
> Darius Henderson - Player Profile - Click HERE