The goalkeeping situation at Manchester United is set to dominate the agenda as the deadline day inches closer, with Senne Lammens and Emi Martinez in focus.
Altay Bayindir made another mistake on a set-piece in the win against Burnley, maintaining the 100% rate of a Man Utd goalkeeper making a mistake in a competitive game this season.
The need for an upgrade couldn’t be clearer, but what looked like a one-horse race with the interest in Senne Lammens has suddenly turned into a duel.
Man Utd are back in for Emi Martinez, and with the two players at the polar opposite stages of their careers, the choice will be polarising. Ruben Amorim might have already hinted at who he wants.
Emiliano Martinez leaves the pitch after being shown a red card for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford in 2025 in Manchester.
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Ruben Amorim’s hint for a Man Utd goalkeeper
It is fair to assume that Amorim is cutting an extremely frustrated figure because all his good work in training is being undone by the players missing chances and handing easy ones to the opposition.
He has defended Bayindir and Onana in public, but the way he’s changed the goalkeepers in the games so far paints a clear picture of what he thinks of those options.
Lammens was the long-term bet who could also make an impact immediately, but Royal Antwerp are driving a hard bargain. Moreover, the jump from the Belgian league to the Premier League is quite big.
United are back in for Martinez, who would be a solid, Premier League-proven option with the mentality to succeed between the sticks at Old Trafford.
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However, he could be on the decline, and the stats don’t favour him much. In this tough choice, Amorim’s words after the Burnley game were important reading because they gave a peek into what he wants from the goalkeeper.
When pressed about the issues with his current options in goal, he defended Bayindir, saying “they are humans”, and changing the goalkeeper is also leading to errors.
He said: “They are humans. Everybody talks about the goalkeepers, I can change the goalkeepers and the situations happen. I think it’s hard to be a Man Utd goalkeeper at this moment.”
The last line is particularly interesting because it hints at Amorim diagnosing the goalkeeping problem as one of mentality rather than talent.
If that’s the case, then the choice between Lammens and Martinez is a no-brainer.
Emi Martinez is a better option than Senne Lammens
If there is a position in the current Man Utd squad where the club can’t afford to have a project player, it’s between the posts.
Gone are the days of drafting a young David de Gea between the posts and letting him develop, because that was a team with leaders in a stable environment.
What United need right now is a player who brings confidence between the sticks and is a plug-and-play option, much like Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the outfield.
Lammens might end up being Thibaut Courtois 2.0, but a single error here or there could just as easily derail his confidence under the intense glare at United.
They’ve seen it happen post-Sir Alex with numerous youngsters, who get trapped in a vicious cycle without the support structure to help them.
Martinez has the gravitas and personality to relish the “madman” role of a United goalkeeper, and with United’s young goalkeeping options exciting, he can provide the bridge to them by being the No. 1 for a couple of seasons.
As Amorim said, it’s hard to be a United goalkeeper. For a 23-year-old with one bona fide good season, and that too, in the Belgian League, it would be an unfair baptism of fire.
Martinez is the answer, provided the financial numbers make sense.