Paul Scholes says ‘jury’s still out’ on Man Utd first-team regular
Paul Scholes has raised his doubts about Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens, just days after former Old Trafford coach Rene Meulensteen named the player that the club’s co-owners, INEOS, should have signed to replace the Belgian.
Lammens has established himself as the number one goalkeeper for Man Utd after joining from Royal Antwerp in the summer of 2025 for £18.1million.
The Belgium international goalkeeper said at the time: “I am extremely proud to be joining Manchester United.
“It is a real dream come true.
“The past few years have been an amazing journey, it’s now ended in an incredible destination and hopefully the beginning of something special.”
Lammens has made 38 appearances for Man Utd so far this season.
In those matches, the 24-year-old has conceded 48 goals and kept nine clean sheets.
Man Utd legend Scholes, though, has not been hugely impressed with Lammens and has suggested that Michael Carrick’s side will not win the Premier League title with the Belgian in goal.
Paul Scholes gives verdict on Man Utd goalkeeper Senne Lammens
Scholes said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast: “What team have you seen win the Premier League without a top-class goalkeeper?
“Lammens might be that; I don’t know; I think the jury’s probably still out on that, and then you build from the back four, like Arsenal.
“It’s the way Arsenal started three or four years ago.
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“Defensively, they have been absolutely brilliant.
“You need a top-class goalkeeper.
“You think of Liverpool’s team with Alisson, City’s teams with… Raya at Arsenal, Man United with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.
“They’ve all got brilliant, brilliant goalkeepers.
“You start from the back, of course you do.
“Whether Michael has just got to be patient and wait for that, I don’t know.”
Rene Meulensteen wanted Man Utd to sign Unai Simon
Last week, former Man Utd coach Meulensteen also raised doubts about Lammens and said that the Red Devils should have signed Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao in the summer transfer window.
TEAMtalk quoted Meulensteen as saying on September 8: “Don’t get me wrong, he had a really good season, he made some remarkable saves and he helped United a lot.
“Would I name him in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, David de Gea?
“No. Can he get there? Not sure.
“I doubt it because I always do my due diligence on things and one of the things I felt with him, he’s still young, but obviously what happened with him at the World Cup is something I identified in him.
“I think really critical people will probably look at him with the first goal against Everton, near post.
“For me, if you talk about strengthening, you talk about the two most important people on the pitch: the goalkeeper and the striker.
“If one can sort goals out and the other can make sure he keeps clean sheets, you’ve got a good chance of winning.”
Meulensteen added: “I thought it would have been a really good bet to get him, I would have gone for Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao.
“He was so impressive, for me, and we played him in a friendly with Iraq and he was so impressive throughout that whole World Cup campaign of Spain.
“He was so on the front foot, reading the game well, managing that backline and he made every save when he was called upon.
“What you then get is a World Cup winner with a presence and I don’t think Lammens has got that yet.
“If he can get there then it has to be on the basis of really good performances and consistency.”
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