Senne Lammens expressed gratitude for the praise he has received from Manchester United supporters who liken him to legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. However, he maintains, “I’m simply Senne Lammens doing my best to assist the team.”
The 23-year-old goalkeeper signed with the club on deadline day from Royal Antwerp. After a few games on the sidelines, he made his debut in a 2-0 victory against Sunderland on October 4, which marked the beginning of a three-match winning streak for United.
During the match against Sunderland, the Old Trafford crowd chanted, “Are you Schmeichel in disguise?”
“I didn’t pay much attention to it during the game, but I did see it afterwards,” Lammens told the BBC.
“I’m not Schmeichel in disguise; I’m just Senne Lammens trying to help the team. While it’s an incredible compliment, it’s essential to be realistic. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and I have much to prove to be mentioned in the same breath as him.”
After joining the club, Lammens watched from the bench as teammate Altay Bayindir started in goal during a narrow win over Chelsea and suffered two disappointing losses to Manchester City and Brentford.
Lammens believes that head coach Ruben Amorim’s decision to give him time to adjust to the Premier League was wise. “Nobody mentioned a strict plan; it was always about putting the best goalkeeper on the pitch,” he explained. “Initially, I faced some challenges in training, and the manager recognized that and allowed me time to adapt. My debut turned out to be the perfect opportunity, and everything has gone well since then. I couldn’t have hoped for a better start.”
Lammens noted that the experienced center-back pair of Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt have helped shape his expectations. “They advised me that I don’t need to be an extraordinary goalkeeper, but rather be there in crucial moments to instill confidence in the team,” he remarked. “It gives them peace of mind knowing there’s someone behind them who can support them.”
“A crucial role for a goalkeeper is to aid the defense through communication. I take pride in being calm and composed, but when necessary, I can be assertive or vocal with my teammates. Having both traits is beneficial.”
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Schmeichel won five Premier League titles and was crucial to the club’s treble victory in 1999. Lammens concluded, “I aspire to have a long career here. Eventually, I hope to be part of the conversation with legends like Schmeichel, [Edwin] van der Sar, and [David] de Gea. That would be a wonderful achievement.”