Manchester United Sign Belgian Goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Antwerp

Manchester United have completed the signing of Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp in a deal worth an initial €21m (£18.1m), with further add-ons included, Sport360NG reports.

The 23-year-old has penned a five-year contract at Old Trafford and becomes the latest addition to United’s goalkeeping department.

“I’m incredibly proud to join Manchester United. It really is a dream come true,” Lammens said. “The last few years have been a fantastic journey, and now I’ve arrived at a club where I hope to start something special.”

Background and Career So Far

Lammens made 64 appearances for Antwerp after arriving from Club Brugge in 2023 and was part of the side that lifted the Belgian Super Cup later that year. He earned his first senior call-up for Belgium in March but is still awaiting his debut.

Last season, the shot-stopper featured 30 times in the Belgian Pro League, producing 173 saves, more than any goalkeeper across Europe’s top 10 leagues, and stopping four penalties. His reflexes and distribution have been singled out as his standout strengths.

United’s Goalkeeping Shake-Up

Director of football Jason Wilcox described Lammens as “an excellent young goalkeeper with huge potential”, adding that the club had to fend off strong competition to secure his signature.

United shifted their focus to Lammens after cooling interest in Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who was seen as a more experienced but costlier alternative.

The deal comes after a turbulent period between the posts at Old Trafford. Altay Bayindir has struggled for consistency, while André Onana has faced criticism following high-profile mistakes, including last season’s League Cup exit to Grimsby. Veteran keeper Tom Heaton, 39, remains third choice but has not featured since February 2023.

Rising Reputation

Belgian journalist Axel Brisart of HLN believes Lammens is convinced he can establish himself as United’s first-choice goalkeeper.

“He’s one of Belgium’s top goalkeeping prospects and has already shown he can handle being a number one at Antwerp,” Brisart said. “His shot-stopping is exceptional, and his passing makes him a real asset in building play. The question is how quickly he can adapt to the pressure of a club the size of Manchester United.”

Why United Made the Move

Analytical data highlights why United were keen to secure his services. According to Opta, Lammens’ “goals prevented” total last season stood at 18.4, meaning he stopped nearly 19 more goals than expected, based on the quality of shots faced.

For comparison, Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson led the Premier League in that metric with 4.4, while James Trafford recorded 12.85 during Burnley’s promotion-winning Championship campaign.

Those numbers underline United’s belief that they have acquired not just a promising goalkeeper, but potentially one of Europe’s most effective shot-stoppers.