The Athletic hands prestigious recognition to United ace after stunning debut campaign

Manchester United’s decision to invest in Senne Lammens raised a lot of eyebrows last summer. However, with one game left in the season, it now looks like a masterstroke from INEOS. The Red Devils have been home to some outstanding goalkeepers in the past, but the position was under intense scrutiny in recent seasons. The Premier League giants were looking for a long-term replacement for the outgoing David de Gea in the summer of 2023 when they decided to invest in Andre Onana. It appeared a smart move at the time, given that the Cameroonian had just featured in the Champions League final with Inter Milan. However, Onana succumbed to the pressures of Old Trafford, with his error-prone performances ensuring that the position was never far from the headlines. Former head coach Ruben Amorim identified the position as a weakness in the team last summer and reportedly wanted Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez as Onana’s replacement. The Argentine had enjoyed tremendous success with his nation, winning the World Cup, among other honours. However, United sprang a surprise by going with the instincts of chief goalkeeper scout Tony Coton and signed the relatively unknown Lammens instead. Nine months later, the Belgian has earned a place in the hearts of every Red Devils fan. Just what United needed Coton has since revealed the intricate process of selecting Lammens, who was hardly a panic buy. Instead, the move represents a patient, calculated selection procedure for which the recruitment team deserves a pat on the back. It is a testament to the Belgian’s abilities that United’s goalkeeping department is hardly making headlines now except for the right reasons. Baby Courtois marked his debut for the Red Devils with a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Sunderland last October. Lammens has since registered six more clean sheets in 32 appearances for the English giants and is now a guaranteed starter under Michael Carrick. Senne Lammens Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesGoals ConcededClean SheetsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League31397–2,790′ Jupiler Pro League44—360′ FA Cup12—90′ Total36457–3,240′ Source: Transfermarkt. Lammens’ assured presence at the back has been one of the key ingredients in United’s rise under Carrick. The 23 year old has been a revelation at set-pieces, which were the Red Devils’ bane during Onana’s time. The Belgian has also made a string of impressive saves since arriving at the Theatre of Dreams, and his efforts have now earned recognition. The Athletic’s Signing of the Season The Athletic recently announced their end-of-season football awards, as decided by their team of experts, and named Lammens as the Premier League Signing of the Season. The report points out that the move for the Belgian already looks like a bargain, stating: “Coton, a former goalkeeper for United and Manchester City, had watched Lammens several times in his only full campaign of senior football for Antwerp, in Belgium’s top flight, and pressed director of football Jason Wilcox to make the move.” “Backed by director of recruitment Christopher Vivell, United took the plunge on the 23-year-old for a fee of €21million plus €4m in add-ons. That now looks to be a bargain, with Lammens exuding a calmness in goal that has been absent for the last few seasons for United.” “Away from the pitch, he comes in on his days off, stays late at Carrington, often talking to Coton, and reads books on other sports to increase his knowledge. He is making saves of real consequence and appears to have solved a problem for the team for years to come.” Bruno Fernandes, who has already won the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award, was also recognised as The Athletic’s Player of the Season. Final Thoughts Lammens has brought a solidity at the back that United have craved in recent years and, in the process, has already endeared himself to fans. The Belgian is still relatively young in goalkeeping terms, so one can expect him to become even better as he gains more top-flight experience. Senne Lammens prevented 2.05 goals vs. Sunderland, making 4 saves from shots taken inside the box. Man Utd’s best player. 🛑 pic.twitter.com/onUUD2pu6a — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 9, 2026 Featured image Stu Forster via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.