Record Fee for Antwerp
The goalkeeper situation at Manchester United has garnered significant attention this season. Altay Bayindir made a critical error during their Premier League opener against Arsenal, and André Onana’s mistakes contributed to a disappointing exit from the League Cup against Grimsby. Onana’s two seasons at Old Trafford have been marked by errors, raising doubts from manager Ruben Amorim.
Initially, United had indicated they were not looking to acquire a new goalkeeper, but in recent weeks, their stance changed. They have finalized the transfer window with the signing of Senne Lammens, the Royal Antwerp goalkeeper. In a club statement, Lammens expressed, “I am extremely proud to be joining Manchester United. It is a real dream come true. The past few years have been an amazing journey, ending in an incredible destination and hopefully the beginning of something special.”
Reports indicate that United will pay €21 million plus add-ons for the talented 23-year-old. According to Transfermarkt, reliable sources in Belgium confirm that United has been monitoring Lammens since last September. Although he remains relatively unknown in England, we’ve compiled a comprehensive overview of the promising goalkeeper, including expert insight from Belgium.
Belgian Perspective on Senne Lammens
Lammens rose through the youth system at Club Brugge but made only four professional appearances for the club. He moved to Royal Antwerp on a free transfer two summers ago. Bart Tamsyn, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager for Belgium and a former Brugge scout, sheds light on his departure.
Tamsyn stated, “At Brugge, Lammens was regarded as one of Belgium’s top goalkeeping talents, arguably the best not to have come from the KRC Genk academy. Unfortunately, he was blocked by Simon Mignolet. This led him to decide against renewing his contract and pursue a move to Antwerp in the summer of 2023. At Antwerp, he initially served as Jean Butez’s backup before becoming the first-choice goalkeeper last season.”
Senne Lammens’ Strengths and Areas for Improvement
In Belgium, Lammens is seen as a potential long-term successor to Thibaut Courtois for the national team. His performance metrics reveal immense potential, and he possesses a solid skill set, though there are areas that need development. Tamsyn noted, “Lammens has an exceptionally strong mentality and remains composed in all situations. Last season, he demonstrated his goalkeeping abilities, making more saves in the Jupiler Pro League than anyone else. Additionally, he is a goalkeeper who seeks to play out from the back and is comfortable with both feet.”
Regarding areas for improvement, Tamsyn added, “To reach a truly elite level, he needs to enhance his passing accuracy. He tends to make minor mistakes in nearly every game due to his relative inexperience in certain scenarios. These mistakes are typically minor, such as an inaccurate kick, but some have resulted in goals conceded from wayward passes or misjudgments. Nonetheless, having just completed his first season as a starting goalkeeper, he has ample room to grow.”
