Senne Lammens visited Partington Central Academy Primary School, ahead of World Book Dayplaceholder image
Senne Lammens visited Partington Central Academy Primary School, ahead of World Book Day | Manchester United FC
The Man Utd goalkeeper has been the unsung hero of the season and the backbone of their recent resurgence.
Manchester United invested £200 million in a new frontline last summer, in the hope of adding more goals to their squad. Yet, it was the £18.2m they spent on Senne Lammens that has proved to be the most important transformation to the first-team, with his ability to keep goals out at the other end.
The 23-year-old has brought a welcome calmness and tranquility to the United backline, and shines so much for simply being so understated and calm. There is a feeling of safety and stability around his performances, something that has been absent for years.
It isn't just his approach to football that is so refreshing, either. Lammens enjoys journaling before and after matches, as well as playing golf and reading. In his spare time, he is more likely to watch NBA than football, and openly admits that he doesn't want to have the generic reputation of a Premier League footballer.
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"I think that's something I try to show the world that I'm just, or for example, these children here, I'm just a normal guy as well, that everyone can make it," Lammens told reporters after he visited Partington Central Academy Primary School ahead of World Book Day. "There are people, and there's nothing wrong with that as well, who have that mindset and that lifestyle a little bit different than me. But then also makes it feel like probably for the children that it's more difficult to get there.
“So it's a bit like just my character in general, but also a little bit like how I want to be seen next to the football pitch because I don't only want to be looked at as a football player, but also just a normal person with his own beliefs and stuff to do next to it."
United have lost just two of the 19 Premier League matches that Lammens has played in this season, and kept four clean sheets in the process. The latest came against Everton on Monday night, their first away clean sheet since March 2025. It was another match in which the Belgian shone for his pure shot-stopping ability, but also through the authority he commanded at set-pieces, particularly with his ability to absorb crosses into his box.
Senne Lammens visited Partington Central Academy Primary School, ahead of World Book Dayplaceholder image
Senne Lammens visited Partington Central Academy Primary School, ahead of World Book Day | Manchester United FC
He added: "The first thing as a goalkeeper you have to make saves, that's the most important thing, but I take a lot of pride in doing the other things well. Maybe not always the box office stuff or the things people look at first. If you know a little bit about goalkeeping, that's probably sometimes even as important for your teammates to trust in you and to help out the team.
"Sometimes in United, I don't really have a to do a lot of saves, a different kind of goalkeeping, but it's also sometimes the most difficult, when there are only one or two saves to be made, but you have to make them."
Lammens has always prided himself on his physicality and is keen to ensure he does not get bullied in the box. He admitted the recent win over Everton was a 'big battle', in which he had to deal with 10 corners, 35 crosses into his box, and faced four shots on target. He came out of it with another clean sheet.
"It's always been a bit of my strength, always, even in Belgium, which is less physical, but the principles are all the same," he continued. "The technique is the same. Now there are a little bit more bodies in front of you, but my teammates help me out as well with blocking the guys away from me. You have to be kind of big and not easy to be pushed around, so I think that's also important. Strength-wise, you always want to be on top and be the best as possible. My physical features are positive for those kinds of situations."
According to data from Opta, Lammens has prevented 5.5 more goals than the average goalkeeper based on the quality of accurate shots he’s kept out this season. No Premier League keeper can match that record since he made his debut against Sunderland back in early October.
It is perhaps no surprise when you learn he grew up idolising Manuel Neuer and Thibaut Courtois, that his greatest pride is simply in keeping the ball out of the net.
" I think when I was growing up, my biggest idol so to say as a goalkeeper was probably Neuer. In his height. I mean, I take pride in being an all-around goalkeeper and I think that's also why I was such a big fan of his because he didn't really have, so to say, a working point or something that was clearly not the best thing in his game. So that's something I probably take from him.
"I'm also Belgian, so Thibaut Courtois is always a big thing when I was growing up as well. And I think just his qualities and saving the ball are just world-class. So try to learn something from everyone because everyone has their own strong points, but I would say probably Neuer in his all-around game."
Lammens also revealed he has learned plenty from Tom Heaton about keeping things simple, while he has a 'good relationship' with scout Tony Coton, who persuaded United to sign the Belgian, at a time when Ruben Amorim wanted proven Premier League experience in the form of Emi Martinez instead.
"There wasn't really a clear, clear path for me. It was a little bit like trusting myself. I needed a little bit of time to get used to it and adapt, especially to this league and this quality. So I think when I came, those first weeks were vital and me trying to get better and get used to the level as I said. It wasn't really outspoken when I was going have my chance, I needed to prove myself in training. But I knew the chance was going to be there, if it was in the league or in the cups. The way it went was probably ideal for me, and I got my chance, and I took it, and since then, I haven't really looked back."
United haven't looked back either since Lammens was made their first-choice goalkeeper, and he has been the unsung hero of their resurgence under Michael Carrick. There is still plenty of work to do if United are to go on and secure Champions League qualification this season, but he is loving life at Old Trafford, even if his debut season didn't exactly go to plan with Amorim's departure.
"Yeah, it's been really good," he added. "I think the general feeling in the dressing room has been really, really good. Especially the first four games were winning those four, and the first two against like City and Arsenal were a big step and a big momentum booster. This last game was really important to get that momentum back because we had two weeks where we didn't have a game. And especially after West Ham, where we didn't have our best game or best result. So yeah, now it's getting back into that winning feeling, which we did.
"It's been really, really good. He's been helping us out really well. Making it as easy as it can for us from his experiences in the past, helping us with that as well, so you can see the way he talks about stuff that he has also experienced all the things we've ,been going through so, yeah, can't praise him enough."
Manchester United Foundation is hosting a children's book appeal throughout March, encouraging fans to donate new and pre-loved books to children in need. The Foundation aims to develop and improve the wellbeing and life skills of children aged 5-11.
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