Senne Lammens has made quite the impression at Manchester United since his £18m move from Royal Antwerp in the summer transfer window, but he had a rocky start
Senne Lammens made his first start for Manchester United against Sunderland(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Senne Lammens had a bit of a shaky start on his first day at the Carrington Training Complex. The 23-year-old goalkeeper has already made a significant impact at Manchester United following his £18m transfer from Royal Antwerp, despite an initial hiccup.
As reported by GiveMeSport, some members of the dressing room were ‘strongly advocating’ for the Old Trafford higher-ups to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa. The 33-year-old goalkeeper was heavily rumoured to be moving throughout the summer after what appeared to be an emotional goodbye on the last day of the previous season.
Despite endorsements from those in Ruben Amorim‘s circle, United shifted their focus to Lammens. The Reds managed to secure a deal for the Belgian on deadline day, subsequently loaning Andre Onana to Trabzonspor.
Upon arriving at Carrington, Lammens was aware that many of his new teammates would have preferred another keeper. The young player, who made more saves than any other goalkeeper in Europe’s top 10 leagues last season, had to wait for his debut.
Altay Bayindir had been the starting keeper for each of United’s first six Premier League matches before being benched for the Sunderland game. In the final match before the October international break, Amorim gave Lammens his first start – and he certainly made an impression.
He swiftly assumed control of the Reds’ defensive line, dominating his six-yard box with remarkable assurance.
Lammens was also frequently spotted – and audible to those present at the stadium – issuing instructions to his defensive line.
The Stretford End supporters even honoured him with songs of, ‘Are you Schmeichel in disguise’, bestowing upon their new shot-stopper the highest accolade.
According to the i Paper, Lammens has created an equally strong impact away from the pitch following his somewhat uncomfortable unveiling at Carrington.
The report suggests he’s consistently the earliest to turn up and the final one to depart, demonstrating exceptional dedication to enhancing his abilities.
It’s understood that the United personnel have also been impressed by his professionalism, having already secured his own private long-term living arrangements.
Addressing journalists after United’s 2-0 victory over Sunderland, Amorim showered Lammens with admiration.
The Portuguese manager said: “Yeah, I think he looks confident in the first game.
“But, [the] important thing is that the teammates help Senne to have a good game, because everyone was focused, not a lot of mistakes, against a team that was really comfortable playing football. So, we did well, I.T. was a good day for us.”
Amorim added: “When Senne arrived here, first of all, Altay was playing, and then he arrives, and you can feel it, that he needs to adapt. New country, new training, the pressure that you guys put on the goalkeepers are massive.
“So, it was like a little preparation for the guy to be ready to start his first game. But now, it’s just one game, and he needs to work because he needs to be prepared that in our club, things are really hard.
“But he did well, and again, he was comfortable during the game and that is a very good sign.”
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