Club scout: Man Utd have secured themselves a player who can be ‘one of the world’s best’

Manchester United goalkeeping scout Tony Coton has poured praise on Senne Lammens, whom he’d been tracking since the player was just 17 years old.

Coton personally pushed for Lammens’ arrival at Old Trafford last summer while other club chiefs were keen on signing Emiliano Martinez as Andre Onana’s replacement.

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Why United signed Lammens over Martinez

United even went as far as agreeing personal terms with Martinez, the then-32-year-old Aston Villa veteran, before ending their pursuit and going all-out for the Belgian instead.

Coton was able to provide a full scouting report to INEOS, having been monitoring Lammens’ development since his career began with Club Brugge.

“I saw somebody that loved to protect his goal, defend his goal,” Coton told club media last week. “I looked at somebody that… it hurt him when a goal went in, you know, it meant something because he conceded. He wasn’t happy.”

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The 23-year-old has since proven to be a stellar addition between the sticks in M16, with United being on the losing side only three times in the 25 appearances he’s made.

Lammens has also kept five clean sheets thus far, and will be desperate to add to his tally in the final seven matches of the campaign.

Lammens now a two-capped Belgium international

His tremendous showings at club level have also seen him rewarded when representing his nation in recent months; he earned his maiden Belgium cap back in November in a 7-0 win over Liechtenstein, and added a second to his name in a 5-2 victory over the United States on March 28.

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It goes without saying that the youngster will be crossing his fingers that he does enough from now until the end of the season to be included in Rudi Garcia’s World Cup squad, even if just to play backup to first-choice Thibaut Courtois.

From Coton’s perspective, Lammens already has everything in his locker to become one of the best in his position across world football.

“If Senne keeps working hard, as he has been doing, he can be one of the world’s best,” the chief scout said.