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Senne Lammens emerges as Man United's first-choice keeper

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Key Points
  • Senne Lammens joined Manchester United for £18.1 million and became first-choice goalkeeper
  • He has kept five Premier League clean sheets and earned Player of the Match honors
  • Club figures praise his potential while noting areas for improvement

1 million on transfer deadline day last summer and has since become the club's first-choice goalkeeper. He has kept five clean sheets in the Premier League for Manchester United, and after his emergence as the starter, Andre Onana was loaned to Trabzonspor. Altay Bayindir serves as Manchester United's second-choice goalkeeper, while Tom Heaton is the third-choice and acts as a mentor to Lammens.

Lammens was named Player of the Match in Manchester United's 1-0 win against Everton. Sir Alex Ferguson described Lammens as outstanding. Manchester United goalkeeping scout Tony Coton believes Lammens can become one of the world's best.

'Not really, no, it's actually been quite alright. I mean, physically it was a big battle, a big game, so I'm still recovering from that. But cuts and bruises, not really, no.'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

Former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen believes Lammens is not yet at the level Manchester United needs and has some weaknesses. Lammens forbids talk of keeping a clean sheet before matches as a superstition. He places his goalkeeping gloves in a hot tub before matches to soften them, a trick learned from Simon Mignolet.

Lammens is often the first player into training and the last to leave. Lammens reads books about athletes like Tiger Woods and LeBron James instead of watching football. Lammens described the physicality in the Premier League penalty box as a bit of a war.

'It's just the way it is. It's the Premier League. It's been like this all season. They always said to me that it was the most physical and that's the biggest difference. A bit of a war (in the penalty box).'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

The Belgian goalkeeper's rapid rise at Old Trafford has been marked by both accolades and scrutiny, with his work ethic and unique rituals contributing to his early impact.

'It's physicality and a bit of war in the 16.'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

'Tom Heaton is talking about how goalkeeping sometimes it's not giving games away. If you want to have a long career, especially in these kind of clubs, they have to count on you and you have to be dependable.'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

'I probably wear a new pair every game, depends how I feel. If I played with one pair, I trained in them the whole week then I'll wear a new pair. If you play Saturday, I'm training in them Friday but before then, I like to get them in the hot tub with the guys... I actually got it from Simon Mignolet.'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

'He's been really helpful. He helped me a lot the first couple of weeks especially to get me like eased in.'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

'I live alone here at the minute. I don't really want to be home at 1 [o'clock] and doing nothing the rest of my day. We have the capabilities like a swimming pool, sauna and ice bath, we have it here, so why not take full use of it?'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

'I don't really watch a lot of football. Everything has revolved around football at the club, so you almost want to switch off a little bit mentally.'

Senne Lammens, Manchester United goalkeeper

'He's got all the tools and the mental capacity to cope with it all as we've seen. From a goalkeeping point of view, I don't want to compare him to anyone else. He is Senne Lammens and he is himself. If he keeps working as hard as he is doing and we get those little things tidied up, he can be one of the world's best. I'm sure he can.'

Tony Coton, Manchester United goalkeeping scout
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