Manchester United look set to shake-up the goalkeeping position this summer with a move to sign Senne Lammens getting close to completion.
Despite spending almost £200m, Manchester United are still active in the transfer market ahead of deadline day one week on Monday.
After a summer packed with goalkeeping speculation and outlandish links drawing United with an interest in signing Gianluigi Donnarumma, which would be a very ‘anti Ineos’ deal and create wage bill issues.
In addition to the PSG shot stopper, United made a loan move to sign Emi Martinez from Aston Villa, although again it was a move that felt more Glazer-nomics than the new football focussed recruitment teams in place.
But after all of this, United started the season with Altay Bayindir in goal and the Turkish international failed to impress, instead, he was heavily criticised for how weak he was aerially for the Arsenal goal.
First choice Andre Onana is no better and Amorim doesn’t exactly trust him between the sticks, so a move for Senne Lammens makes sense, but it means one will have to leave.
Andre Onana celebrates with Altay Bayindir after Manchester United performance.
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Altay Bayindir’s future at Manchester United at risk with Senne Lammens close
On Friday, it emerged that United were advancing in talks to sign Lammens, with a fee of £17.3m expected to see the Royal Antwerp goalkeeper make the move to Old Trafford.
Now, United in Focus understands via Graeme Bailey that this deal is now “almost done”, with Lammens wanting to join the club, rejecting multiple clubs.
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This is an exciting and likely data driven signing by United. It does mean that the Red Devils are gearing up to get rid of a goalkeeper, as four first-team keepers is excessive.
The casualty will likely be Bayindir, who United in Focus understand is already searching for a new club.
Bailey adds, “Andre Onana’s immediate future is not called into question with the impending arrival of Senne Lammens.
“Should a number one of come in, then Onana would have been loaned – as we have revealed – but now the same can’t be said of number two Altay Bayindir.
“Bayindir may have started the first game but his future is far from certain now – Lammens has been told he is coming in to challenge Onana.
“I am told that intermediaries are now actively working hard on finding Bayindir that new club. It could be a loan at this point but work is being done.
“However, it could yet be they go into the remainder of the season with four – but the club don’t want that.”
Manchester United will have proper competition in goal
United signed both Onana and Bayindir in the same summer, following David de Gea leaving for free in 2023, but despite both arriving with international pedigree, it was clear from day one the it was a number one and a number two.
Onana proceeded to be terrible for large periods of his opening two seasons at the club, all while Bayindir sat on the bench, with his performances not making a case for the starting berth – apart from January 2025.
Infographic showing Senne Lammens' 2024-25 stats.
Infographic from SofaScore showing Senne Lammens’ 2024-25 stats.
But with Lammens, United will have a young goalkeeper who will be hungry and keen to unseat Onana, and this will either spur the number 24 on, or lead to Lammens being the starting goalkeeper rather quickly.
Lammens is one of the best emerging goalkeepers in Europe and his move to United might be the breakout for his career, if he can transfer his performances to England.
While not complete, Lammens is an incredible shot stopper and should make United harder to score against, which fans have been dying to see after how poor goalkeeping was last season.