Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has openly expressed his surprise at the immediate impact of one particular summer signing, highlighting the significant role played by deadline-day acquisition Senne Lammens in the club's impressive turnaround this season.
A Summer of Significant Change at Old Trafford
Following a deeply disappointing campaign that saw the Red Devils finish a lowly 15th in the Premier League last season, the club embarked on an ambitious summer rebuild. The Manchester hierarchy sanctioned a spending spree exceeding £200 million on new talent, welcoming Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Senne Lammens, and Diego Leon to the Theatre of Dreams.
The substantial investment appears to be paying dividends. While still a work in progress, the team has shown marked improvement, currently sitting in seventh place and just a single point adrift of the coveted top four. The attacking duo of Mbeumo and Cunha have adapted quickly, their prior Premier League experience with Brentford and Wolves respectively proving invaluable.
The Unexpected Rise of Senne Lammens
However, it is the assured performances of Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens that have truly caught the eye. The 23-year-old, who replaced the departing Andre Onana, arrived for a relatively modest fee and with little fanfare. Yet, he has seamlessly integrated into Amorim's side, displaying a level of confidence that has impressed many, including legendary former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Amorim himself conceded that Lammens' rapid adaptation to the immense pressure of being Manchester United's number one has been a revelation. "Of course, we do our diligence when we are going to buy players," the United boss told Stadium Astro. "But as I said, it was a surprise, all the pressure that we suffer with the goalkeeper position to arrive here and to show that confidence."
He added, "To transmit that confidence to the team, I think, was a little bit of a surprise for me. I'm not going to say everyone, but I'm talking as a manager, I have no problem to say that was a surprise for me."
An Attacking Transformation
United's form heading into the international break was solid, with back-to-back draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham extending their unbeaten league run to five matches. A key factor in this resurgence has been a much-improved offensive output.
The team has found the net 12 times during this five-game stretch, a stark contrast to the meagre 44 goals they managed across the entirety of the previous season. Amorim was keen to praise this newfound potency. "I think we are capable of scoring goals in any moment and this is so important especially in our league," he stated.
"Even to defend better, we have to have a team that scores in one transition, in two passes. If you compare to last season, we saw that we weren't scoring goal enough to win football matches. If you compare both seasons, we have improved on that."
The revitalised Red Devils now turn their attention to their next challenge, as they prepare to host Everton at Old Trafford on Monday night.
