Altay Bayındır could force Senne Lammens to break an immediate record at Manchester United as his £17 million Old Trafford move closes in.
Manchester United are set to add 23-year-old Senne Lammens to their goalkeeping department as part of efforts to refresh the position.
Tom Heaton has signed on for another year, and André Onana is expected to continue as first choice at Old Trafford.
Lammens’ arrival could signal the departure of Altay Bayındır, whose mistake against Arsenal last weekend has cast further doubt over his role.
A standout talent at Royal Antwerp, Lammens is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top young goalkeepers and is likely to start as Onana’s understudy while aiming to challenge for the No. 1 spot during the season.
Bayındır already looking for new club
Amid the pending arrival of Lammens, reports have suggested that Bayındır has already commenced a search for a new club before the window closes this summer.
According to transfer journalist Graeme Bailey, “Bayindir may have started the first game, but his future is far from certain now – Lammens has been told he is coming in to challenge Onana.
“I am told that intermediaries are now actively working hard on finding Bayindir that new club. It could be a loan at this point, but work is being done.
“However, it could yet be they go into the remainder of the season with four – but the club don’t want that.”
Bayındır could force Lammens into shirt number record
For the last few seasons, United’s first-choice goalkeeper, Onana, has worn the No. 24 kit, with second-choice Bayındır wearing the No. 1; a rather unique and unusual situation, considering it is very traditional for first-choice goalkeepers to wear the No. 1 kit.
With Lammens set to join United in the coming days and compete with Onana for his spot, there has been an assumption that he would inherit the No. 1 shirt from Bayındır. Still, as United’s squad numbers have already been submitted to the Premier League for the coming campaign, there is a complication.
According to Premier League rules, once a club has submitted their squad number list for the season, one player can only take over the shirt of another if that other player has officially left the club.
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This means that, if Bayındır does not leave the club before the Belgian’s move and his shirt number is confirmed, Lammens cannot be given the No. 1 kit.
For the last six seasons, Lammens has donned the No. 91 kit for Club Brugge KV and Antwerp, and if he were to do the same at United, he would break an official club record by becoming the first-ever senior player to play for United with a squad number in the 90s.
Although United’s 14-year-old star JJ Gabriel was spotted wearing a training kit with the No. 95 on it and is expected to be part of some first-team training sessions this campaign, the club’s official squad number list does not include Gabriel, meaning Lammens would become the first United player to officially hold a squad number in the 90s.
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