Manchester United have made an improved offer for Senne Lammens and hope they can agree personal terms with the Royal Antwerp goalkeeper before Monday’s transfer deadline.
Lammens missed Antwerp’s Belgian Pro League defeat at Westerlo on Saturday and is still not training with the club to ensure he remains injury-free for a departure. Galatasaray are competing with United for his capture.
The i Paper has been told United are yet to make a breakthrough on personal terms with the 23-year-old, with negotiations not going as well as senior figures had hoped.
However, a new offer, an improvement on their initial £17m bid, has been tabled. It is one United believe will be enough to get the club-to-club deal agreed.
Alternatives could be looked at, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa linked with a move to Old Trafford, but both deals would be considerably more expensive.
Why do United want a new keeper?
United have accelerated their pursuit of a new goalkeeper after yet more errors from their current stoppers.
Altay Bayindir got the nod over Andre Onana for the visit of Burnley on Saturday following the Cameroonian’s less-than-flattering evening at Grimsby in midweek. Bayindir, who was at fault for Arsenal’s winner on the opening day, failed to deal with a Burnley corner that led to the visitors’ second equaliser at Old Trafford.
“They are humans,” Amorim said in defence of his goalkeepers after the 3-2 victory. “With Manchester United, everything is huge. Everybody talks about the goalkeeper.
“I think it is hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment.
“The players are struggling a little bit with all the things [negtive headlines] around the club. That is normal. So it’s not just the goalkeepers. I think everybody has to improve.”
As it stands, neither Onana or Bayindir are set to be sold, with neither actively seeking an exit. Another arrival could change that viewpoint.
Who else could leave on deadline day?
Not normally particularly active at the end of a transfer window, United face a busy few days, mostly concerning outgoings.
Rasmus Hojlund is currently in Naples to undergo a medical ahead of a loan move with an obligation to buy for £40m, so long as certain conditions are met, included in the deal.
Antony appeared set to secure a permanent switch back to Real Betis, where he was on loan for the latter half of last season, with the two clubs having agreed a fee of around £20m.
The La Liga side, however, have pulled out, insisting they cannot afford the whole package when wages and other add-ons are taken into account. United hope Betis are simply trying several last-ditch negotiation tactics before coming back to the table.
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As The i Paper reported last week, Roma were set to return with another offer for Jadon Sancho, but they have again been deterred by the player and his representatives.
“There’s a motivation issue,” Roma director of football Frederic Massara said this weekend. “Which, for us, must be extraordinary to come and play for Roma.”
It is understood there remains hope from the Italians’ side that Sancho could still change his mind. Otherwise, it remains a real possibility that he stays at United beyond Monday’s deadline.