'Unbelievable', Ben Foster Slams Man Utd's Decision to Sign Senne Lammens Over Two Top European Goalkeepers
Manchester United’s summer transfer window of 2025 delivered a genuine surprise with the signing of young Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp. While the move aimed to solidify the club’s depth between the posts, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from within the club’s own history, with former United goalkeeper Ben Foster publicly expressing his astonishment. Foster stated, with emphatic clarity, that he found the choice to bypass established elite keepers like Emiliano Martinez or Gianluigi Donnarumma for the relatively unproven Lammens “unbelievable.”
The acquisition of the 23-year-old Lammens was a direct response to the inconsistent form displayed by the incumbent keepers, André Onana and Altay Bayindir. Lammens’s debut, which resulted in a clean sheet against Sunderland, offered a momentary calm to the often-turbulent emotions of the Old Trafford faithful. Yet, behind this positive start, the transfer remains a puzzling point of contention for many football analysts.
Foster’s Expert Critique
Ben Foster, whose own experience as an accomplished Premier League goalkeeper and former Manchester United player provides him with significant expertise on the position, did not mince words. His bewilderment stems from the fact that United opted for a developing prospect when two established, world-class goalkeepers were reportedly available, or at least potentially attainable targets.
The central thesis of Foster’s argument is that a club of Manchester United’s stature, desperately seeking stability in a key area, should target a definitive upgrade rather than a squad player. The move for Lammens, while potentially a shrewd investment for the future, failed to address the immediate pressure on the team.
“It’s truly unbelievable to me,” Foster’s sentiment suggests, according to sources close to the former England international. “When you have a chance to bring in someone with the pedigree of a World Cup winner like Martinez, or a European champion like Donnarumma, why would you choose a relatively unknown entity? United need guaranteed quality now.”
The Strategy Behind the Move
The decision to sign Lammens, rather than a blockbuster name, speaks to a potential shift in Manchester United’s transfer strategy—a strategy that Foster evidently challenges. While the club’s management may prioritize long-term developmental value and lower acquisition costs, the risk involved in a high-pressure environment is substantial. The transfer nearly fell through, adding to the sense of mystery surrounding the rationale behind the recruitment team’s priorities.
Lammens’s clean sheet debut certainly bought the young Belgian time, offering a brief validation of the club’s assessment of his talent. However, the shadow cast by the perceived ‘missed opportunity’ for the two top European goalkeepers remains large, lending authoritativeness to Foster’s criticism. The fact that the transfer itself was reportedly fraught with uncertainty only amplifies the scrutiny placed on the decision-makers.
The Pressure on the Goalkeeping Unit
The inconsistency of Onana and Bayindir has been a recurring headline, forcing the club to seek solutions. Onana, in particular, has faced intense pressure since his arrival, with his form swinging wildly between spectacular shot-stopping and critical errors. The arrival of Lammens now adds a third variable to an already unstable equation, a situation that Ben Foster, drawing from his experience, recognizes as potentially disruptive.
For Manchester United to truly compete for the highest honors, the stability offered by an unquestioned world-class number one is mandatory. By passing over more decorated names for Lammens, the club has signaled either a budgetary restraint or a faith in their scouting that many observers, including Foster, find hard to comprehend.
The focus will now inevitably shift back to the pitch. For Lammens to silence the critics and truly justify the club’s choice over two of Europe’s finest, his initial positive performances will need to become the standard, proving that the club’s scouting insight was a stroke of genius rather than a major transfer oversight. Only sustained trustworthiness through exceptional performances will ultimately vindicate the club’s ‘unbelievable’ decision.
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