Arsenal's triumphant victory over United reveals a significant void that United urgently needs to address, having invested £200million in Sesko and his teammates.
Manchester United's Unsettled Goalkeeping Situation after Opening Day Loss
Manchester United's goalkeeping situation is under scrutiny following their 1-0 loss to Arsenal in their opening home game of the season. The team is expected to address this issue with the imminent signing of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for around £17.3 million [2][3][5].
Altay Bayindir, who started in goal for United, made an error that led to Arsenal's goal, and there was no foul from William Saliba during the incident, according to former Premier League referee Mark Halsey [4][6]. Bayindir should have been stronger in the situation, Halsey believes [7].
Manager Ruben Amorim has publicly supported Bayindir and André Onana, despite criticism. Onana, however, was not in the starting lineup due to a hamstring injury [1][2]. With Onana likely to be at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, the signing of Lammens is seen as necessary [3].
The signing of Lammens reflects a strategic decision to strengthen the goalkeeping position after a summer focusing on attacking recruits. Over £200 million was spent on forwards Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and the new £74m centre-forward, Benjamin Sesko [1]. The club's CEO has indicated budget constraints mean they prioritized attacking reinforcements first, with other positions, including goalkeeping, following subsequently [1].
United might not sign another outfield player, causing concern among fans about the options in midfield. The club has abandoned their bid to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton at least until next summer due to Brighton's asking price [8].
Sesko, who was not started until the 65th minute, showed encouraging signs, with a couple of late half-chances indicating he will be a threat [9]. Fans agreed with Amorim's belief that Sesko can be United's No 9 for many years to come, giving him a huge ovation when he came on [10].
Manchester United have been linked with goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and David de Gea [11]. The club also has an interest in Morten Hjulmand from Sporting, while United are one of several clubs admiring Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace [12]. Ruben Amorim and sporting director Jason Wilcox have two weeks to address the goalkeeping situation before the transfer window closes [13].
In summary, Manchester United are on the verge of adding Senne Lammens to their goalkeeping roster, will offload at least one current goalkeeper, and the club’s leadership acknowledges the need for gradual squad rebuilding rather than wholesale changes in one window [1][2][3].
Despite Manchester United's premier-league losses, the team is expected to strengthen their goalkeeping position with the imminent signing of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, as a strategic decision to bolster their europan-leagues campaign. Analysing the recent match, Altay Bayindir's error contributed to Arsenal's goal, raising questions about the current goalkeeping situation.
