Andre Onana is currently out on loan at Trabzonspor and his Manchester United successor Senne Lammens has yet to struggle at Old Trafford in the same way as the Cameroonian
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich believes Senne Lammens has already shown he’s not at risk of running into the same problems as predecessor Andre Onana. Lammens joined from Royal Antwerp on transfer deadline day, all but ending Onana’s United career – even if he hasn’t given up on one day returning – and the Cameroon international moved on loan to Trabzonspor just a few days later.
Bosnich had two spells at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson before losing his place to Fabien Barthez and also witnessed Massimo Taibi struggle after joining United from Venezia. Onana made a similar switch to Taibi, excelling in Serie A but finding things tougher at Old Trafford with some impressive displays overshadowed by a number of high-profile errors.
“Onana was excellent at Inter. They had just got to the Champions League final with Inter. They might have won it if Romelu Lukaku had taken that chance for an equaliser late on,” Bosnich told The Mail.
“But he also had brilliant defenders in front of him there. He was very, very well protected. And then he came to United and he didn’t have that situation in front of him and he wasn’t as well protected and you have the combative style of the Premier League and Onana struggled to assert himself.
“I don’t see Lammens having those problems. He’s only 23 but he’s already proved he can deal with whatever’s thrown at him. He’s very, very good with his feet. He reminds me a bit of Thibault Courtois, who’s Belgian as well, of course. “He has settled in very quickly. He’s young but I think United have got their long-term keeper now.”
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United boss Ruben Amorim sympathised with Onana after the keeper’s struggles last season, but insisted the time was right to make a change. “We saw Andre had a very, very good season at Inter. The quality is there. But we are in the club and sometimes, in the moment, things can get harder and harder,” he said after deciding to move for a new No.1.
“You can be really experienced but in this club, the pressure is sometimes so hard on every detail. I think we understood that this needed a change. Sometimes it’s hard to point why. It’s the performance, the moments. The bad luck in some moments was hard on him, was hard on us. Our thinking is to have a change in the goalkeepers.”
Lammens was eased into the starting XI, with Amorim leaving the Belgian on the bench for three games before bringing him into the line-up in place of Altay Bayindir. While he has only recorded one clean sheet, his assuredness between the sticks has won him plaudits.
The 23-year-old is expected to continue in goal on Monday when United face Bournemouth in the Premier League. Results elsewhere over the weekend mean three points at Old Trafford will take them fifth – with goal difference meaning they’d need to win by eight clear goals to overtake fourth-placed Chelsea.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
