When Sir Alex Ferguson speaks about Man Utd, you listen, so his verdict on Senne Lammens is a huge endorsement, but he has already said something about Andre Onana as well.
Senne Lammens‘ start to life at Old Trafford has been so good that even Ruben Amorim was caught off guard by it.
Lammens is still unbeaten in a Man Utd shirt, which says it all about his impact at Man Utd, but he recently received the biggest compliment of all.
Sir Alex Ferguson gave Lammens his seal of approval, calling him “outstanding”, which will go down well with Man Utd fans and make them curious about what the legendary manager has had to say about Andre Onana previously.
What Sir Alex Ferguson has said about Andre Onana
Such was the downfall of Onana’s form and reputation at Man Utd that it’s completely forgotten in what circumstances he joined the club.
At the time, he was the standout performer in a Champions League final for Inter against Man City, with Pep Guardiola raving about his qualities.
His signing was thought of as a real coup by Erik ten Hag, his arrival likened to that of a revolution in United’s movement towards becoming an elite team.
Understandably, Sir Alex was also on the bandwagon as a fan, getting carried away by making some bold claims about the goalkeeper.
Speaking to CBS Sports in 2023, he said that Onana is a “very athletic” goalkeeper whose signing, alongside Rasmus Hojlund, “completes” the team.
He said: “If he gets the centre forward [Hojlund] ready quickly, they’ll be a really good side. That’s what they’ve really lacked over the last few years.
“The foundations are there, and they’re always completed by your goalkeeper and centre forward. The new goalkeeper is very athletic, and the centre forward hopefully can get fit quickly.”
Needless to say, neither of those players worked out well for United, which perhaps sums up the club’s fortunes after Sir Alex retired.
Senne Lammens is all about the long-term for Man Utd
Lammens’ rise has been a welcome surprise at Old Trafford, but just like Amorim’s “storm is coming” comment last season, the long-term view must not be compromised.
As a young goalkeeper arriving in a new league, at some point, Lammens will make a mistake, and the team will lose.
In that moment, it’s important to stick by him instead of vilifying him like Onana was, which caused a crisis of confidence.
What Paul Scholes said about Senne Lammens before he made his Man Utd debut
“What’s the price? 20 million Euros, that tells me he’s not a top goalkeeper.”
Paul Scholes in September 2025
A major advantage the Belgian has is that he doesn’t seem to go too high or too low, unlike Onana, who was more prone to those wild swings.
Still, the holistic view is that Lammens is a potential solution for the goalkeeping position for the next decade, and a few hiccups here and there should not deter Man Utd.
Bold and positive claims of legendary figures like Sir Alex are nice to hear, but as proven in the case of Onana, they aren’t a confirmation of greatness.
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