The remarkable rise of Senne Lammens to become Manchester United's first-choice goalkeeper this season was not part of the club's initial strategy, according to a surprising revelation from the player's representative.
A Summer of Changed Plans at Old Trafford
Mark Volders, the agent for the young Belgian shot-stopper, has disclosed that United executed a significant late change of heart during the recent transfer window. The original intention was for the vastly more experienced Andre Onana to remain as the undisputed number one, with Lammens being gradually integrated into the squad after his £18 million move from Royal Antwerp on September 1.
"For a long time, the intention within United was for Onana to stay and for Senne to be given time to adjust," Volders told Belgian publication HBVL. He revealed that criticism of the signing, notably from club legend Peter Schmeichel, stemmed from expectations of a more established name.
"Those critical voices… the big problem was that they expected a very well-known name, like Gianluigi Donnarumma or Emiliano Martínez," Volders explained.
From Obscurity to Establishing Trust
The 23-year-old's arrival was indeed met with scepticism. Schmeichel admitted earlier in the season he had never heard of Lammens before the transfer links emerged and publicly advocated for the signing of Aston Villa's World Cup winner, Martínez.
"We should have signed Emi Martinez," Schmeichel stated via SkyBet. "With Martinez, everything was lined up... As for Lammens, I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of him." The Dane expressed concerns about whether the youngster could handle the unique pressure of playing for Manchester United.
Despite the plan for a slow introduction, events moved quickly. Onana departed for Trabzonspor, and though Altay Bayindir was in possession of the gloves when Lammens arrived, the new signing quickly usurped the Turkey international and has held the position since, making 13 appearances and keeping 2 clean sheets.
Critics Silenced and a New-Found Calm
In a notable turnaround, Schmeichel has since revised his opinion, becoming a vocal admirer of Lammens' immediate impact. Praising the keeper's composure, Schmeichel told ViaPlay that the defender's now exhibit a clear trust in their last line of defence.
"He’s come in and there’s calm at the back four, there’s not this chaos where they don’t want to pass the ball back to him," Schmeichel observed. "They trust him. He seems a very, very confident young man."
He also highlighted Lammens' speed in transitioning play as a key asset, stating: "He is so quick in turning the game... starting a counter-attack very quickly."
Volders, reflecting on the unexpected chain of events, believes the club's late decision has been vindicated. "Ultimately, they changed their tune right at the very end, Onana left, and fully embraced Senne," the agent said. "But in hindsight, you can only say that United was right about that."
