Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United have finally found their long-term goalkeeper in Senne Lammens and claims the Belgian can remain in the team for the next decade.
United signed Lammens in an initial £18 million deal from Belgian side Royal Antwerp in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
Lammens had made just 52 appearances in the Belgian Pro League before his move to the Premier League and United had faced questions over whether he had enough experience to immediately become their first-choice goalkeeper.
But the 23-year-old has made a solid start at United so far and after an another solid performance in the 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day, Ferdinand is confident his former club have solved their problematic goalkeeping situation.
‘Do you know what, Lammens is a solid addition to this squad,’ Ferdinand said during his live broadcast on YouTube during United’s win against Newcastle at Old Trafford.
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‘He’s going to be Manchester United’s keeper for the next ten years, no doubt.
‘He is as solid as a rock. No frills, just gets it done. Look, you need him to come out to claim it on the edge of his six-yard box, he comes and just takes one through bodies, beautiful to see.
‘You want a solid keeper, you know where he’s going to be.
‘I bet he’s a boring fella, I bet there’s no much in terms of that but he’s intelligent, a lovely guy, really nice guy but on a night out I don’t reckon he’d be one of the ones you’d want to spend most of the night with, no disrespect, most goalkeepers aren’t anyway.
‘But when you get to the football pitch you’d be going, ‘you know what, I hope he’s behind me’, he looks like one of those.
‘We’ve been searching for a consistent goalkeeper, someone you know where they’re going to be when you look around.
‘In the last seven minutes of extra time he’s come out and took two balls in his six-yard box comfortably. Takes the pressure off the back four, absolute life saver if you’re a defender.
‘It’s a great feeling to know where your goalkeeper is exactly going to be when you turn around and Lammens is one of those.’
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