Senne Lammens was Ruben Amorim's final piece of the Manchester United puzzle this summer(Image: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
"You can feel the positive atmosphere that is being created here," declared Senne Lammens after securing his move to Manchester United.
The mood might not be so jovial among his fellow Old Trafford goalkeepers. Lammens completed his deadline day switch to United late on deadline day and will now bed in to his new surroundings over the international break.
The arrival of the Belgian - not named in Roberto Martinez's squad for the September internationals - piles further pressure on beleaguered pair Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir, who are both away on international duty this month.
The pair have made costly errors already this season with the campaign only four games old. Onana was at fault for one if not both of Grimsby Town's goals in the embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat while Bayindir dropped clangers against Arsenal and Burnley in the Premier League having seemingly usurped Onana as Ruben Amorim's first choice.
The arrival of Lammens clouds the picture further. The 23-year-old has been a regular in his homeland for Royal Antwerp and while United sources would not say if the new arrival was coming in as a potential first choice, the player himself will be ready to take a chance.
"I know that I can make a real impact at the club in the coming years," he said on arrival. "I cannot wait to get to know my teammates and begin working with Ruben and the coaching staff. This is the perfect place to keep developing, grow together with this exciting team and achieve my career objectives.”
Lammens would bring a calmness and confidence that Onana and Bayndir have failed to offer at United.
"As a goalkeeper you have to stay calm to instil confidence in your defenders and the rest of the team," Lammens said in a 2024 interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
"You're not supposed to be stressed out between the posts. As a youth player, that happened to me sometimes, but in recent years, it hasn't bothered me at all.
"They always say that I stay level emotionally. That I'm stable and never go up or down too quickly. I'm happy about that, by the way. I think that's a good quality for a goalkeeper."
It's a quality United have lacked in recent years. The prospect of a calm keeper providing a foundation at the back and a confidence in his team-mates would offer the Reds a cornerstone on which to build.
Sir Alex Ferguson once said a great goalkeeper could be worth 15 points a season. This United are in no position to turn down a chance to improve their tally as they seek to challenge the top six following a dismal 2024-25 campaign and a stuttering start to the current season.
Lammens is far from the finished article but is a decent distributor - something that United sought out when signing Onana - while the Belgian is a commanding presence in his penalty area and a capable shot stopper.
According to Opta Analyst, he prevented 17.4 goals from being scored in the Belgian Pro League in 2024-25, which suggests a shot stopper capable of performing for his new club.
But to do so he must be given an opportunity by Amorim. The United boss must recognise that pursuing with Onana or Bayindir just now will not provide the stability and security required.
A new goalkeeper was not considered a priority by United this summer but Amorim's outlook changed amid the erratic form of Onana.
Tom Heaton, 39, has not played since February 2023 and is unlikely to figure for United this season with the signing of Lammens and sparse schedule.
If the Belgian is offered an opportunity, he could help unlock a new United.