Senne Lammens, the goalkeeper from Royal Antwerp in Belgium, has agreed to join Manchester United this summer, but whether the transfer will go through depends on whether the two clubs can agree on a transfer fee. This 23-year-old talent is listed alongside Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa on Ruben Amorim's new goalkeeper shortlist, although the latter's transfer is more complicated.
Lammens was already aware of Manchester United's interest in him: "When I first heard about it, I couldn't help but think 'wow,' it's special to be pursued by a world-renowned team. Of course, we players often discuss these things; when I make good saves in training, my teammates always joke about Manchester United this and that. It's all positive."
Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws reports that Antwerp expects Manchester United to make a formal bid soon, with the transfer fee likely exceeding €15 million (£13 million) and potentially reaching €20 million (£17.5 million). This Belgian club was a feeder club for the Red Devils 30 years ago, with players like Dong Fangzhuo and Evans loaned there for development. However, the partnership was later terminated.
Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray are also interested in Lammens, but the player prefers a transfer to one of Europe’s top leagues. He is considered one of the best young players in Europe, having conceded 15.6 fewer goals than expected, ranking third among the top ten leagues in Europe.
Lammens ranks highly in statistics such as save percentage and successful interventions, and he is one of the best penalty-saving goalkeepers in Europe, outperforming André Onana in these aspects. His expertise in saving penalties inevitably brings to mind Manchester United's other rumored target, Big Martin.
The 32-year-old Villa goalkeeper intended to transfer this summer, but the club is unwilling to let him go easily, especially not at a discount to the Red Devils, who defeated Villa in the league's final round, costing them a Champions League spot.
As the dream of joining Manchester United seems to be fading, Big Martin may consider a move to the Saudi Arabian Professional League, as he has received offers from wealthy sponsors. The adjustments in foreign player quotas in Saudi Arabia have also opened the door for his transfer. However, reports from La Nacion indicate that there are concerns in Argentina about how this move could affect his form for next year's World Cup.
Manchester United had previously considered loaning Big Martin but faced a firm rejection from Villa, who have set a price of £40 million. As long as Onana remains at Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not approve spending a large sum on a new goalkeeper.
Of course, even if Manchester United only signs Lammens, it could still be major bad news for Onana, who was favored by former manager Ten Hag. He was injured upon returning to training, and if Lammens joins before the new season starts and performs well, Onana's long-term future at Old Trafford could be in jeopardy. The 29-year-old Cameroon international is feeling the pressure and has quickly returned to training this week, but for now, he can only train separately from the main squad, alongside Lisandro Martínez and Zirkzee.
However, Lammens has only played one season at Antwerp and has not experienced the rigors of English football, so it seems unrealistic for him to immediately replace Onana as the undisputed starter. Even De Gea needed an adjustment period when he first arrived in the Premier League.
Lammens may initially get the chance to participate in cup matches, trying to secure a starting spot in the Premier League through impressive performances. Alternatively, he could replace Onana if the latter makes another significant error; based on the past two years, such opportunities frequently arise, but the current backup goalkeeper, Altay Bayındır, has not seized them well, either due to injury or mistakes when he plays.