Manchester United: Andre Onana loan move explained and why Senne Lammens was signed ahead of Emiliano Martinez | OneFootball

Man United have refreshed their goalkeeping options with Andre Onana leaving on loan

Ruben Amorim has explained Manchester United’s decisions in the goalkeeping department following deals for Andre Onana and Senne Lammens.

Onana, who joined the Red Devils from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023 for a reported £47.2million, completed a season-long loan move to Trabzonspor on Thursday after falling out of favour at Old Trafford.

The Cameroon international failed to feature in any of Man United’s opening three Premier League games.

Furthermore, Onana was criticised heavily for his performance in the shock Carabao Cup second round loss to Grimsby Town on penalties having been at fault for both goals in normal time.

Speaking about the decision to let Onana leave, Amorim said the goalkeeping situation at the club needed a change.

"I think we understood that this needed a change and sometimes it is hard to point out why,” Amorim told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby. “Sometimes it is the moment, the bad luck in some moments.

"It is hard on him, on us. Our thinking is to have a change in the goalkeepers but I wish the best for Andre Onana.

"He was really good at working and trying to help the players, but sometimes you can have all the quality in the world but you need a change."

Prior to letting Onana leave, Man Utd swooped for Lammens from Royal Antwerp on transfer Deadline Day in a deal worth a reported £18m as they opted for the 23-year-old instead of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.

Explaining the choice, Amorim said: "We have an option that can give us different things in the moment but also has a great potential to be our goalkeeper for a lot of years so that was out choice in the end.

"He is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential. I know that we are in a moment where the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience.

“We are also in the moment where we have to look at the present but also with a focus on the future - so it is a little bit of both.

“He's a guy with a great potential that is one more option [for us] to play, and he will be ready."

New signing: Senne Lammens

Manchester United via Getty Imag

That said, Sunday’s Manchester derby comes too soon for the £18m arrival to make his debut as Amorim has confirmed Altay Bayindir will keep his place in between the posts.

"Altay is going to continue. It is a different league, a different country, different training, different ball,” Amorim said.

“So we will try to maintain that and they will fight for the position but for me in this game is clear, Altay will start."