Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has expressed reservations about goalkeeper Senne Lammens' capabilities, suggesting the 'jury is still out' on whether he can be a crucial player for the team's Premier League ambitions.
Lammens, who joined United last summer for £21.7 million from Royal Antwerp, has been the club's primary goalkeeper since displacing Altay Bayindir in the autumn. His performances have drawn praise from supporters seeking stability in the goalkeeper position, a sentiment not felt since the era of David De Gea.
"What team have you seen win the Premier League without a top class goalkeeper?" Scholes questioned on his podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Football. "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."
The 24-year-old Belgian has previously voiced his aspiration for a lengthy career at Manchester United, aiming to achieve legendary status at the club. He stated his hope to "play here for 10 years and be important, so that, like Schmeichel and Van der Sar, I can leave a legacy," calling a comparison to Peter Schmeichel a "very nice compliment."
However, Scholes remains unconvinced. Referencing Lammens' performance against Erling Haaland in a recent Manchester derby, Scholes drew parallels to the defensive structures of other successful clubs.
"It's the way Arsenal started three or four years ago, defensively they have been absolutely brilliant. You need a top class goalkeeper," Scholes commented. "You think of Liverpool's team with Alisson, Raya at Arsenal, Man United with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar. They've all got brilliant, brilliant goalkeepers."
Scholes concluded that building a successful team starts from the defense, but questioned whether manager Michael Carrick should be patient and wait for Lammens to develop into the required top-tier goalkeeper. "You start from the back, of course you do. Whether Michael's just got to be patient and wait for that, I don't know."
