Manchester United have reportedly settled on a move for young Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens instead of the more experienced Emiliano Martínez.
Royal Antwerp’s first-choice shot-stopper has long been on United’s radar and even openly spoken about the prospect of joining the club before talks ramped up over recent weeks. Following the dire start to the season made by both Altay Bayındır and André Onana, Ruben Amorim’s side have accelerated negotiations for a new goalkeeper.
There was the brief suggestion that Martínez could find his way to Old Trafford after becoming unsettled at Aston Villa in a potential swap deal for Jadon Sancho. The English winger appears to be on his way to Villa Park yet the World Cup winner is not heading in the opposite direction.
United have agreed to pay Antwerp an initial €21 million (£18.2 million, $24.6 million) before undisclosed add-ons are taken into consideration, The Athletic report. Lammens is thought to have accepted a five-year contract at Old Trafford on suitable personal terms, with only the formalities of his signature remaining.
Intriguingly, Aston Villa were also thought to retain an interest in Lammens in the event that Martínez did leave. Unai Emery refused to entertain any talk about the Argentine ahead of Sunday evening’s clash with Crystal Palace, instead repeating the name of Marco Bizot, his goalkeeper for that match. The Dutchman promptly gave away a penalty to gift Palace the first goal in a 3–0 loss.
At 23, Lammens is yet to win a senior cap for Belgium—although dislodging Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois is no easy feat. The 6’4” custodian came through Club Brugge’s academy before switching to Antwerp on a free transfer two years ago.
The youngster has 64 senior appearances to his name but is in for an almighty test of his character at Old Trafford. As Amorim fretted over the weekend: “It’s hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘All Parties Agreed’—Man Utd Make Choice Between Senne Lammens, Emiliano Martinez.