Senne Lammens wants to be the rock at the back Manchester United
Manchester United made a big decision on transfer deadline day and signed Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp. The deal was struck for an initial sum of around €21 million, and he will now be a part of Old Trafford until June 2030. The move became important for United because both André Onana and Altay Bayindir looked unstable at the start of the season.
Their mistakes raised questions about the team’s defensive strength and forced the club to look for a reliable alternative. In such an environment, Lammens’ arrival came as a new ray of hope. Interestingly, United relied on Lammens instead of betting on Aston Villa veteran Emiliano Martinez.
What Lammens said and his thinking:
Lammens made it clear in his first interview that he sees the role of a goalkeeper as a rock on which the defence can rely. The 23-year-old said that his greatest pride is in the fact that fellow players can rely on him in difficult moments. The Belgian shot stopper stated that there is always scope for improvement at this level, but calmness and patience are part of his nature.
Senne Lammens wants to be the rock at the back Manchester United.
Lammens brings several qualities that could see him thrive in the Premier League.
He believes that staying stable in pressure situations is the real quality of a goalkeeper. He linked this habit to the calm thinking of his family and his childhood training. Lammens said that instead of being afraid of mistakes, moving forward and giving the best for the team is the basis of his thinking. This mindset shows that he has already decided on a clear direction for his career and is working on it.
“I think if you want to be a good goalkeeper, you have to be a rock behind the defence. They have to trust you and count on you in difficult moments. That is something I take pride in. Of course, I can improve in this because the next level is bigger, but it is one of my attributes that I am proud of, and I try to improve.
“My parents are also really calm and collected, but I also developed this mentality from growing up, when I was in the youth team, and I thought about the goalkeeper I wanted to become later in life.
“I think one of the best attributes you can have as a goalkeeper is staying calm under pressure, in any circumstances, even if you make a mistake or something. You just move on and try to give your best to the team.”
Quote via: Mirror
What can United fans expect of Senne Lammens?
This signing is a step taken to keep the future in mind. Last season, Lammens made 173 saves, the most in Europe’s top 10 leagues. His ball confidence and distribution skills prove him to be a modern goalkeeper. Jamie Carragher also recently said that United should back Lammens as their number one goalkeeper. This statement clearly shows how high the expectations are for him in the football world.
However, the standard of the Premier League is much tougher than Belgium, and the pace and physicality here will challenge him initially. His positioning has sometimes been flawed, and his assessment of cross balls also needs to be improved.
Debuting in a match like the Manchester Derby can be a huge risk, as the pressure there can break any young player. Perhaps it would be better to bring Lammens into the team slowly and give him a big chance at the right time. United fans know that goalkeeper mistakes cost the team heavily, but Lammens’ calm demeanour and his past statistics assure that he will not shy away from this challenge. This signing is a combination of hope and risk, but as fans, we believe Lammens can be a safe pair of hands at Old Trafford in the long term.