Ruben Amorim has taken action to resolve Manchester United’s goalkeeping crisis by signing Senne Lammens, but the Portuguese head coach has been told he might have made a mistake
Ruben Amorim has been accused of taking a risk that no other Premier League manager would in signing Senne Lammens. The Belgian goalkeeper joined Manchester United on transfer deadline day after completing an £18.2million move from Royal Antwerp.
Former Red Devils No.1 Andre Onana is now set to leave for a season-long loan with Turkish side Trabzonspor following a series of high-profile mistakes. It remains unclear if Lammens will be used as United’s starting keeper straight away after Altay Bayindir began the season as Amorim’s first-choice shot-stopper.
However, he too has come under scrutiny for his role in Riccardo Calafiori’s goal during United’s Premier League opening day defeat to Arsenal. Despite the club’s existing woes between the sticks, ex-United and Wrexham keeper Ben Foster has warned that Amorim will be making a dangerous decision if he expects 23-year-old Lammens to start games in the top flight.
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“Manchester United have got a kid from the Belgian league, who’s never played for the Belgian first team,” Foster said on his Fozcast podcast.
“He’s played about 60 first-team games in his career and they’re expecting this guy to be able to adapt to not only the Premier League, but adapt to Manchester United as well. It just reeks of sticking a band aid [plaster] on it.
“I wouldn’t expect any Premier League team to sign a goalkeeper from the Belgian league who’s never played for the national team, not even a newly promoted team, and not as a starter. It’s such a risk.”
Lammens only let in 32 goals across 30 appearances in Belgium’s top flight for Royal Antwerp last term, registering seven clean sheets during the season. He also won the division’s player of the month award twice, making 173 saves throughout the campaign, and believes he can bring stability to United’s leaky defence.
“I think if you want to be a good goalkeeper, you have to be a rock behind the defence,” said Lammens. “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.”
Meanwhile, Real Madrid and Belgium star Thibaut Courtois reckons United have signed a “huge talent” in Lammens. Courtois shared his thoughts on the move with Rio Ferdinand, who then relayed the keeper’s verdict on his countryman via his YouTube channel.
Ferdinand said: “He let me know about Lammens because he’s a Belgian player, and he was just giving me the heads up as to what he’s like.
“He said he’s a huge talent, obviously not experienced yet but he thinks his style will be well-suited to the Premier League as well. That’s a recommendation from probably one of the best three goalkeepers in the world, Thibaut Courtois, so I’ll take that.”
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