Manchester United have officially signed goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp in a deal worth an initial £18.2 million (€21 million/$24.5 million), with potential add-ons of £3.4 million (€4 million/$4.6 million). The 23-year-old Belgian has agreed to a five-year contract, keeping him at Old Trafford until June 2030.

The move comes as Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looks to address the club's goalkeeping issues after unconvincing performances from current goalkeepers Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir. Both keepers have been responsible for costly mistakes early in the season, prompting the club to seek a new addition to the squad. Speaking after United's narrow 3-2 victory over Burnley, Amorim acknowledged the difficulty of being a Manchester United goalkeeper at the moment.

Lammens, who has represented Belgium at the under-21 level, is considered a promising young goalkeeper with a bright future. United believe he has the potential to develop into a first-choice keeper and become a mainstay in the team for years to come. Lammens made 30 appearances in the Belgian Pro League last season for Antwerp, keeping seven clean sheets. He is described as a superb shot-stopper and is seen by some as a potential long-term replacement for Thibaut Courtois in the Belgium national team.

Lammens expressed his excitement about joining Manchester United, calling it "a real dream come true". He added, "You can feel the positive atmosphere that is being created here, and I know that I can make a real impact at the club in the coming years. I cannot wait to get to know my team-mates and begin working with Ruben and the coaching staff".

Manchester United had also considered other options, including Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez. However, they ultimately decided that Lammens was the right choice due to his younger age profile and lower cost. Martinez would have cost United twice as much in transfer fees and demanded wages in the region of £200,000 per week. With United needing to be cautious with their spending to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, Lammens was viewed as the more financially sensible option.

Lammens' arrival means that United now have four senior goalkeepers in their squad: Onana, Bayindir, Tom Heaton, and Lammens. It remains to be seen how Amorim will manage the goalkeeping situation, but Lammens is expected to compete for a starting spot. Some reports suggest that Lammens could be included in the squad for the Manchester derby against Manchester City on September 14.

In addition to the signing of Lammens, Manchester United also finalized several other deals on deadline day. Rasmus Hojlund is expected to join Napoli on loan with an obligation to buy if the Serie A champions qualify for the Champions League next season. Jadon Sancho is also moving to Aston Villa on loan, and Antony is set to join Real Betis on a permanent deal.