Manchester United have successfully secured the signature of promising goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, fending off interest from several other clubs. The 23-year-old Belgian international has agreed to a five-year contract with the Red Devils, with the deal initially worth £18.2 million.
Lammens expressed his excitement about joining Manchester United, calling it a "dream come true" and an "incredible destination" in his career. He believes that the club is the "perfect place to keep developing" and that he can "make a real impact" in the coming years. Jason Wilcox, Manchester United's director of football, lauded Lammens as an "excellent young goalkeeper with great potential" and expressed delight that he chose to join the club despite interest from other teams.
United's pursuit of Lammens came after considering other options, including Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez. Ultimately, the club decided that Lammens was the right choice, viewing him as a young goalkeeper with a bright future. Lammens' arrival aims to address United's goalkeeping issues and provide competition for current goalkeepers Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana, both of whom have faced criticism for their performances this season. Lammens was targeted after an impressive season where he recorded more saves than any other goalkeeper in Europe's top 10 leagues.
The signing of Lammens is part of a broader summer rebuild at Manchester United, following a disappointing season. The club has also brought in attackers Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, as well as wing-back Diego Leon. Several players have also departed from the club, including Rasmus Hojlund, Antony and Jadon Sancho.
In addition to the signing of Lammens, Manchester United are also expected to complete the signing of young goalkeeper Abdulla Al-Hammadi on a free transfer to further bolster their goalkeeping options. The 20-year-old Al-Hammadi, who has captained the UAE Under-18s, has impressed during a trial period with the club. He will be an academy signing and is not expected to impact the first-team goalkeeping situation.
