United Beyond Manchester

A team can only go as far as its goalkeeper, and Manchester United’s current options can hold them back. After months of speculation around the position, Manchester United are closing in on Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens, according to Fabrizio Romano. What are the key reasons United want the young Belgian?

Commanding the Box

As evidenced by Altay Bayindir’s error against Arsenal, Manchester United needs a goalkeeper who is brave and willing to command his box.

At six-foot-four, Lammens has the size necessary to dominate in the air, and he uses it. Per FBref, the young goalkeeper was in the 94th percentile of crosses stopped per 90 minutes during the 2024-2025 Belgian campaign. In the first four matches of the current season, he has eleven high claims to his name.

A goalkeeper who dominates crosses and high balls takes away a major weapon for the opposition, forcing them to attack in other ways. With a back line built on pace and athleticism, United are well-positioned to deal with those alternative threats.

Shot Stopping

Senne Lammens led the Belgian Pro League in saves last season and finished with an impressive 78% overall save rate. Even more telling was his “goals prevented” metric, which shows he kept out more than 15 goals above expectation. For reference, Andre Onana managed a measly 0.53, according to FotMob.

While the quality of shots is higher in the Premier League, his traits, including his reflexes, would serve him well against higher competition. Think a young David De Gea.

Penalties

Some fans have dubbed Lammens the “Penalty King of Belgium,” and for good reason. In the 2024-2025 Jupiler Pro League, Lammens saved four out of seven spot kicks in the league and playoffs. In the recently started 2025-2026 season, he has already saved a penalty from Union St. Gilloise forward Promise David in a 1:1 draw.

Since joining Manchester United, Andre Onana has saved just two of eighteen penalties. United have also lost two of the past three penalty shootouts with Onana in goal, including the FA Cup Fifth Round loss to Fulham in March. Onana failed to make a save in that shootout.

Senne Lammens fits the profile Manchester United have been seeking: a tall, athletic shot-stopper with the presence to command his box. Many in Belgium see him as the future successor to Thibaut Courtois, but at United, he could become the long-term heir to David De Gea.