A recent signing for Manchester United has quickly made a favorable impression on his teammates, which renders a recent decision by Ruben Amorim particularly perplexing.
Over the summer, Man Utd secured four significant first-team signings: Senne Lammens, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko.
Mbeumo and Cunha were immediately integrated into the starting lineup, and although they have both shown energy, their contributions have yet to yield substantial results.
Benjamin Sesko, who transitioned from a different league, has experienced a more gradual adjustment. Out of his five appearances thus far, only two have been as a starter.
Lammens was the last of the four to join the team, and despite being brought in as the new first-choice goalkeeper for Man Utd, he found himself on the bench during the derby loss to Manchester City.
Altay Bayindir has now started his fourth consecutive Premier League match; while he did not make any significant mistakes, he also failed to instill confidence in his performance.
It remains uncertain whether Lammens will be included in the starting eleven for the upcoming match against Chelsea. However, it is evident that the Belgian has impressed his teammates during training, with United’s third-choice goalkeeper, Tom Heaton, being one of his most ardent supporters.
“It’s only been a few days of training, but he appears to be a really good guy,” Heaton remarked on the Training Ground Guru podcast.
“He’s composed yet possesses a strong character. His goalkeeping skills are quite remarkable, and I believe I mentioned that to him after just a couple of days of training!
“At just twenty-three years old, arriving at Manchester United, and already making a strong impression in his initial days of training, I find his goalkeeping fundamentals to be very impressive.”
In line with this, a recent update from the Daily Mail indicated that ‘Lammens has already captivated and made a mark on the other goalkeepers, particularly the experienced Tom Heaton.’
The report further noted: ‘This will be reassuring news for United fans, especially after having recently experienced the unconventional goalkeeping style of the recently departed Andre Onana and the uncertainty, especially during set-pieces, exhibited by Bayindir.
‘After another underwhelming display in the derby by Bayindir, Amorim has to weigh up how much longer he is prepared to hold out Lammens with crucially important games against Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland coming up in the next three weeks.’
Why not start Senne Lammens?
Surprise arose when Lammens was not chosen to start against City on Sunday.
Regardless of which stopper Amorim selected, it was clear that they would face a demanding afternoon at the Etihad. If Lammens has been excelling in training and was brought in to be the first choice, why not give him the opportunity from the outset?
In contrast, United’s rivals on Sunday had no hesitation in placing their new goalkeeper directly into the starting eleven.
Although Gianluigi Donnarumma is undoubtedly a superior player compared to Lammens, possessing significantly more experience, the decision was swiftly vindicated as the Italian executed a world-class save to thwart Mbeumo and consistently commanded his area.
Lammens was not the sole goalkeeper that Manchester United considered for signing, as both Donnarumma and Emiliano Martinez were also evaluated.
In the end, the club opted for the youngest of the three, selecting Lammens. The Belgian was also the most economical choice, with Donnarumma transferring to City for approximately £30m including add-ons, while Aston Villa demanded £40m for Martinez.
Consequently, it is reasonable to question whether Lammens was indeed the player Amorim genuinely desired, and if so, does he lack complete confidence in the 23-year-old?
The answers to these inquiries are expected to emerge next Saturday when the teamsheets for Manchester United’s match against Chelsea are unveiled.
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