Man United line up Senne Lammens as long-term No.1 project - optimism grows over move ahead of Emi Martinez

Manchester United are pivoting toward Senne Lammens after a year of strong internal backing from goalkeeping scout Tony Coton and green lights within recruitment. While the manager admired Emi Martinez, the club view Lammens as a smart, modern profile for the next cycle. From what I hear and from my own time in dressing rooms, this points to a joined-up decision - budget discipline, upside, and a pathway to compete with Andre Onana. The mood is positive. If numbers align with Royal Antwerp, United will accelerate. This is the type of move that ages well.

The discussion emerged from internal summer planning at Manchester United, where recruitment and the head coach weighed short-term certainty against long-term upside. Under Jason Wilcox, the club have tightened process - analytics, live scouting and succession planning. Tony Coton has pushed Lammens for a year, highlighting his frame, handling and development arc at Royal Antwerp after coming through Club Brugge. The context includes United's recent run of clean sheets, the international break logistics for several players, and wider squad planning that has touched multiple positions.

🚨 NEW: If the goalkeeping decision had been left entirely to the manager this summer, he would likely have pushed for Emiliano Martínez over Senne Lammens. But Tony Coton, United’s goalkeeping scout, had been banging the drum for Lammens “relentlessly” to Wilcox for a year and

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

From a squad-building lens, choosing Senne Lammens over a marquee move for Emi Martinez signals a shift toward sustainable roster construction. Martinez guarantees immediate impact but commands a premium fee and wages, and Aston Villa are tough negotiators. Lammens, 1.98m with strong aerial command and a calm set position, offers a different value curve - lower initial outlay, higher developmental upside. That frees resources for other priority areas while respecting FFP and the club's wage structure.

Tactically, Lammens fits United's evolving build-up. He is comfortable hitting the fullback lane and the No.6 on the turn, and he has shown patience under pressure at Antwerp. He is not yet at Martinez's sweeping range or penalty-box authority, but his angles are clean, his hands are quiet, and he recovers well after first saves. In a side that has tightened distances between center backs and the pivot, a keeper who holds his line and deals with crosses reliably can lower xGA without headline saves every week.

Competition is healthy. Andre Onana has rebounded with a string of clean sheets, but elite teams carry two starters. This move would introduce merit-based rotation and protect against dips in form or injuries. For a club retooling under Wilcox, backing Coton's specialist view shows a welcome trust in domain expertise.

Reaction

Fans split into clear camps. A big group loves the idea of fresh blood and a merit fight for the gloves - they see Lammens as the potential second coming of a long-term No.1. You can feel the optimism in comments like hoping he becomes the next great United keeper and calls for a Belgium call-up if he kicks on in England. Others ride the current wave of clean sheets and joke that the conversation is moot if the back line keeps this form.

There is also a loud minority pushing for immediate star power. They argue Emi Martinez is plug-and-play, a leader who drags back fours up the pitch and wins points with presence alone. I get that feeling - I shared dressing rooms where a dominant voice between the posts changed the temperature of a match. But many push back, pointing to fees and age curve risk compared to a 22-year-old with the frame and tools to grow.

A few comments go over the line, taking personal shots at Andre Onana. That stuff always misses the point. Form is temporary, competition is permanent. The more grounded supporters simply want a fair fight, better depth, and a plan that doesn't swing wildly window to window. On balance, the mood tilts positive on Lammens - cost-smart, hungry, and aligned with what the club says it wants to be.

Social reactions

He is miles ahead of Onana

Fem (@Utd_Fem)

Unnecessary tweet for unnecessary engagement. Did the manager bring Onana?Go and look for wilcox's currently interview with the man united media team on how recruitment is done and stop this shameful attack on the manager.

FinalMove1 (@fiankoe123456)

Onana still have to do jail for his crimes,he needs to pay

David David (@davidperks78)

Prediction

If the numbers land where I expect, United will move decisively for Lammens. The pathway is clear: specialist scout sign-off already in the bag, analytics supportive, and a profile that matches the wage structure. Antwerp are pragmatic sellers if value is respected, and a structured deal with add-ons tied to appearances and European qualification makes sense for all parties.

Should talks stall on price, United keep optionality. Martinez remains the proven alternative, but Villa's stance likely forces a high-fee, high-wage commitment that tightens flexibility elsewhere. My read - Wilcox will resist that unless other dominoes fall. A third route is short-term cover, but the recent clean-sheet run has removed the urgency for a stop-gap.

On the pitch, expect a bedding-in plan. Lammens would start cups and selected league matches while working closely with the goalkeeper coach on starting positions and passing triggers. If he adapts quickly, he can push minutes in the second half of the season. Medium term, United would have two genuine No.1 options - the same model used by Europe's sharpest operators.

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Conclusion

From where I sit - and I have lived the pressure in goal and the politics of dressing rooms - this is exactly the type of decision top clubs get right when they listen to their specialists. Back the profile, not the headline. Lammens gives you reach, presence and a platform to coach. He will make mistakes, the same way every young keeper does, but the upside justifies the patience.

Martinez would raise the floor tomorrow morning. No argument. But he compresses budget and minutes, and he reshapes the wage bill. Lammens broadens competition, protects future windows, and matches the stated identity under Wilcox - hungry, data-backed and resale-safe if needed. Most importantly, he fits what this team is becoming: more compact without the ball, calmer with it, and less reliant on chaos saves.

If United close this, they get younger, smarter and harder to plan against. That is how you build a title-chasing spine - one smart decision at a time.