3 weeks ago
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Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
The deal is agreed at £19million plus add ons - but there is no sell on clause.
Lammens, 23, has agreed a five year contract and is currently on a private jet bound for Manchester.
He is viewed by United as a young goalkeeper with a bright future and while United considered Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez among other options - and have high respect for the Argentine goalkeeper - they believe Lammens is the right choice for them with his younger profile.
Goalkeeper had not been a priority position all summer long for United until a recent flurry of mistakes from Andre Onana, who has lost his role as No 1 after missing pre-season through injury, and Altay Bayindir forced a rethink.
Senne Lammens (left) is set to sign a five-year contract to join Man United on deadline day
Emiliano Martinez had told Aston Villa that he wants to sign for Man United on deadline day
The groundwork for a move for Lammens has been laid for some time and the final touches were sealed on Monday as he boarded a private plane from Antwerp to Manchester.
He becomes the most expensive goalkeeper sale in the history of the Belgian Pro League.
The flip side to this is now the future of Martinez after he had informed Aston Villa he wanted to join Manchester United. The Lammens deal means that has now been put on ice.
Villa boss Unai Emery was far from happy with Martinez whose actions detailed their plans ahead of their game with Crystal Palace on Sunday night.
Commenting on Martinez's absence from the matchday squad on Sunday, Emery said: 'We need players who are focused, 100%. He wasn't.
'It's not helping us. It's one of the circumstances that we are having now not helping.'
'Tomorrow the window finishes and we are expecting something to improve our squad. Keep calm. One of the circumstances is Emi Martinez, we will see tomorrow and then we try get the balance and work after the break.'
