After recruiting two strikers who have proven their ability in the Premier League, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, along with promising young talent Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United can consider this transfer window a victory.
In particular, they have also succeeded in releasing most of the players who were disrupted under coach Ruben Amorim.
However, the £18.2 million signing of goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on the final day of the transfer window seemed to only make the problem in Man United more confusing, rather than a solution.
After choosing to sign 23-year-old goalkeeper instead of World Cup champion Emiliano Martinez (33) from Aston Villa, Man United added another option in goal but still do not have a real No. 1 option.
Next weekend, the "Red Devils" will travel to the Etihad to face the same city as Manchester City in the first derby of the new season. In that context, Amorim is still uncertain who will start.
The Man United coach currently has 4 goalkeepers in his hands: Lammens, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton. At least one of them will have to leave, in the form of a loan or a sale, to rebalance the squad. Remember, this season, the "Red Devils" have not participated in any European playground and have also been eliminated from the Carabao Cup.
Sources close to Onana revealed that the Cameroonian goalkeeper will stay and fight to regain his position. Bayindir are also said to want to continue their relationship, while Tom Heaton has just extended his contract in the summer.
A source close to Amorim said that sending Lammens into the Manchester derby on his Premier League debut would be a risky gamble. And it is difficult for the Portuguese coach to accept that.
If Amorim starts Lammens against Man City and the young goalkeeper makes mistakes, he will be criticized for not giving his players enough time to get used to and adapt to the new environment.
On the contrary, choosing Onana or Bayindir is not safer, because both have made serious mistakes in the early stages of the season. And who can predict what will happen in a derby where both Manchester sides are not allowed to lose after a poor start?
In that context, Amorim was put in a difficult position. He will be held accountable if he loses if he bet against Lammens, but it is also difficult to avoid criticism if he continues to put his faith in Onana or Bayindir and one of them makes mistakes.
If Man United continue to chase Martinez, Amorim will at least have an undeniable No. 1 goalkeeper, instead of falling into the current chaotic situation.
According to Man United, Lammens were not expected to be the number 1 choice right after signing. However, Onana and Bayindir's declining form could force Amorim to include him in the starting lineup, despite all the risks.
Lammens' biggest strength is their ability to block. Since the start of last season, no goalkeeper in Europe's top 10 tournaments has blocked more penalty kicks than him - a success in five of the seven encounters.
Compared to Onana and Bayindir, Lammens are also rated higher in high-profile situations. He showed confidence in set pieces, where the opposition often tried to put pressure to prevent the goalkeeper from getting out.
Last season, the Belgian player successfully blocked 44 crosses, the most in the Belgian national championship. This is a testament to Lammens' proactiveness in aerial dispute.
The addition of this 1m93 tall goalkeeper promises to bring long-term benefits to Man United. However, the arrival of Lammens has not been able to immediately solve the problems Amorim faces. Determining and maintaining the number 1 goalkeeper is still an urgent task to bring stability to their goal.
