Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images

Ruben Amorim told Man Utd struggles could help Lammens, with Heaton ‘brilliant’ aid

Originally posted on HITC | By Vatsal Gupta | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 8:42 AM ET

Senne Lammens has completed his move to Manchester United, giving the club another young goalkeeper to develop for the first time since David de Gea.

The man in charge of that process was Eric Steele, who played a major part in helping De Gea go from a 20-year-old with raw talent into one of the top keepers in the game.

Lammens is 23 and comes from Belgium, not La Liga, but the overall situation isn’t all that different.

According to Steele, one factor working against Man Utd could actually help Lammens, specifically because of a teammate who might be ‘brilliant’ for him.

Man Utd’s timing suits Lammens

Having been part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s staff as a goalkeeping coach, Steele understands better than most the challenges that come with being a young keeper at Manchester United.

His work with De Gea speaks for itself, and it’s the kind of impact the club will be hoping he can replicate with Senne Lammens.

The scrutiny and pressure that comes with being a goalkeeper at Old Trafford is unique, but speaking to the “United! United! United!” YouTube channel, Steele explained why now might actually be a good time for Lammens to join the club, despite its current struggles.

Steele said: “[Lammens has] got to step in now and very quickly. I think a good point [for him] is not a good point for the football club.”

He added: “He’s going to get that training time Monday to Friday at work with Amorim and his coaches, and that will help him [since United are not in Europe and out of the Carabao Cup already].”

Lammens set to benefit from Tom Heaton’s presence

De Gea walked into a dressing room full of title winners. Lammens arrives at a club still trying to find its feet, and the difference is massive.

That’s not something a young player can fix on his own, which is why Steele believes Tom Heaton will be so important for Lammens.

Photo by Perry van de Leuvert/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Heaton might not play much, but he’s highly respected within the squad and his leadership behind the scenes can’t be overlooked. That’s why he keeps getting new deals even without being a regular starter.

With United looking to recapture some of their old form, it helps that Heaton is one of the few remaining connections to more successful times at Old Trafford.

Steele said: “Tom Heaton will be brilliant for him. Heaton’s there not just as a training goalkeeper. He’ll want to make sure the standards in training are really as good as they should be for a club of Man United’s stature. Tom would be very, very good.”

Lammens could have a tough start with matches against Manchester City and Chelsea coming up straight after the international break.

The key will be giving him time to settle in and not overreacting to early mistakes. What matters most is how he handles setbacks and stays grounded through it all.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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