The agent of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has claimed the Red Devils were not intending to replace former stopper André Onana during the summer transfer window.
Onana endured two difficult seasons after joining United for £47.2 million ($63.7 million) in 2023 and eventually joined Turkish side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan in September, 10 days after the Deadline Day arrival of Lammens for an initial £18.2 million.
Despite the significant uncertainty over Onana’s future at Old Trafford, United only moved for Lammens in the final week of the transfer window. The Belgian’s agent, Mark Volders, has now claimed that was because United’s decision to part ways with Onana came similarly late in the summer.
“Those critical voices ... the big problem was that they expected a very well-known name, like [Gianluigi] Donnarumma or [Emiliano] Martínez,” Volders told HBVL.
“But actually, for a long time, the intention within United was for Onana to stay and for Senne to be given time to adjust. Ultimately, they changed their tune right at the very end, Onana left, and fully embraced Senne. But in hindsight, you can only say that United was right about that.”
‘Poor Form Would Have Killed Lammens’
Lammens has made an unspectacular start to life at Old Trafford, which is by no means a bad thing. Onana often found himself in the headlines for a costly mistake, whereas United’s new stopper has been a steady presence in between the sticks.
With just two clean sheets from 12 games, Lammens clearly still has room to improve, and Volders insisted the 23-year-old is only going to get better with time.
“You have to appreciate the immense step he’s taken,” Lammens’s agent continued. “Everyone always says an intermediate step is necessary, but if you go from Antwerp to United, you’ve skipped that step, right?
“Aside from all his other qualities, Senne’s strength lies in his composure in all situations. This was also the case during his debut against Sunderland, which was an incredible stroke of luck. There was so much pressure, so much negativity surrounding the goalkeeping story, that it had to be a smash hit or they’d kill you. Simple. But he played a good match, kept a clean sheet, and went from there.”
Lammens was well aware of the pressure a move to United would bring and, according to Volders, was always keen to embrace that challenge despite the chance to seal a lower-profile move to Aston Villa instead.
“Right at the end, Villa was an option, yes,” Volders explained. “And absolutely a very good one.
“But Senne has always been very clear about his preference. ‘If you can get it done, I want to go to United.’ And ultimately, they’re also competing for the European places.”
Onana Hints at Permanent Man Utd Exit
United’s parting of ways with Onana is, as it stands, only temporary. The Cameroon international agreed a one-year loan with Trabzonspor and the deal does not include an option for a future transfer.
Nevertheless, United are expected to encourage talks over a permanent departure for Onana upon his return next summer, when he will have two years remaining on his contract. Onana, for his part, appears keen to remain with Trabzonspor beyond the terms of his current agreement.
“I’m very happy, trust me,” he said recently. “I’m living the best period of my life. I can’t complain, I’m very happy to be here.
“The time I’ve spent here has been perfect for me. I’m happy to be here. It’s a different lifestyle, but it’s great. Truly incredible, amazing.”
READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
- Man Utd vs. Wolves: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
- Transfer Rumors: Man Utd Target Player of the Year; Real Madrid Hatch Vitinha Plan
- The 20 Premier League Badges—Ranked
- Man Utd Make Jadon Sancho Decision With Major Financial Consequences—Report
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Senne Lammens’s Agent Makes Surprise Andre Onana Transfer Claim.
