Manchester United’s Smart £35m Signing of Tielemans and Lammens' Impact
Shay Given has seen enough transfer windows to know when a club has overpaid. This time, he thinks Manchester United have done the opposite.
United’s £35 million swoop for Youri Tielemans has drawn strong praise from the former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, who believes the Belgian represents far better value than some of the eye-watering midfield deals seen elsewhere in recent seasons.
Tielemans vs Tonali and Guimaraes: “A Really Good Piece of Business”
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, Given set out the numbers in blunt terms. Sandro Tonali at £100m. Bruno Guimaraes at £75m. Tielemans at £35m.
For him, there’s no contest.
“Have Manchester United weakened their midfield by not trying to sign Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes? Well, I think Youri Tielemans is a really good signing,” Given said, pointing out that Aston Villa were forced into a sale for financial reasons after signing the midfielder on a free.
Villa’s loss, he argues, is United’s gain.
“To sign Tielemans for £35 million when Sandro Tonali was £100 million, well that’s actually a really good piece of business because United are getting a really experienced player for club and country.”
It’s the blend of age, experience and price that appeals. Tielemans has been around the top level for years, yet still has mileage in the legs. In a market where midfielders routinely clear the £70m mark, United have landed one for half that and, in Given’s eyes, without sacrificing quality.
Lammens Hailed as United’s Most Complete Keeper Since De Gea
If Tielemans is smart business, Senne Lammens might be something even more valuable for United: stability.
Given, who knows the position as well as anyone, describes Lammens as the most complete goalkeeper at Old Trafford since David De Gea left. That is no small compliment after years of churn and uncertainty in goal.
“I think Senne Lammens has got the lot,” he said. “He’s been a breath of fresh air for Manchester United.”
Given admits he was taken aback that Ruben Amorim did not throw Lammens straight into the team as soon as he arrived, especially with Andre Onana and Altay Bayındır failing to convince.
“I was surprised Ruben Amorim didn’t put him straight in as they signed him because Andre Onana and Altay Bayındır weren’t at the level required, if I’m being brutally honest.”
He even points to the first Manchester derby after Lammens signed as a missed opportunity. In his mind, it was the moment to be bold.
“The first Manchester derby after they signed him could have been his first game. City put Gianluigi Donnarumma straight in. I think Amorim hesitated because Lammens is younger and less experienced in such a big game but I would have chucked him in too because he plays with such a calmness. Nothing seems to faze him.”
That calmness is the trait Given keeps coming back to. United’s back line have lived with chaos and uncertainty in recent seasons. Lammens, he believes, changes that dynamic the moment he walks onto the pitch.
World Cup Error, Lasting Scars – and a Stronger Keeper
Lammens’ rise has not been without trauma. His World Cup mistake, a fumble that led to his country’s elimination, played out on the biggest stage and under the harshest spotlight.
Given, though, offers a goalkeeper’s perspective on just how brutal that situation was.
“He was really unfortunate at the World Cup. I think it’s 10 times harder to come off the bench as a goalkeeper than an outfield player,” he explained.
An outfield substitute can ease into the game. A few simple passes. A run down the channel. A touch, a tackle, a feel for the tempo.
A goalkeeper does not get that luxury.
“If you’re a midfielder, you can get the ball, pass it back and get a feel for the game. The first thing Lammens had to do was deal with a shot he would save 99 times out of a 100 and hold on to it.
“Yes, he did a quick warm up on the side of the pitch but that shot would have been the first time he really felt the ball in probably two hours. He fumbled it and it was a really bad mistake to knock his country out of the World Cup.”
Given does not gloss over the damage such a moment can cause.
“There will be mental scars from that, but he’s come back to Manchester United and he’ll have time to process that.”
For a 24-year-old, recovering from that kind of error and reasserting himself at club level is part of the test. Given clearly believes Lammens is passing it.
The End of Goalkeeping Turmoil at Old Trafford?
United supporters have spent years fretting over the goalkeeper position. De Gea’s decline, Onana’s inconsistency, the revolving door of backups – it all fed into a sense of fragility at the back.
Given thinks those days are over.
He sees in Lammens a keeper who not only makes saves, but transforms the mood of the entire defensive unit.
“I like Senne Lammens a lot, I really do. I don’t think United have any problems when it comes to his position now in goal and they’ve got it wrong so many times in the past.”
The key word he uses is trust.
“I think Lammens has got a big future ahead of him and he’s the sort of goalkeeper that walks onto the pitch and makes everyone feel more secure. They all feel they can trust him. They know he’s going to be a seven or eight out of 10 at least and is going to save them.”
A midfield reinforced by Tielemans at a cut-price fee. A goalkeeper in Lammens who, in Given’s eyes, finally brings calm after years of turbulence.
If United have indeed solved two of the most delicate positions on the pitch in one window, the question now is not whether they’ve done good business – it’s how far that new spine can carry them.
