Q: I’m not familiar with Senne Lammens, Manchester United’s new goalkeeper. He’s young, inexperienced and I worry this will be another player who won’t live up to his potential. What do you think?
@zaidrawi via Instagram
A: Yes, he’s not experienced. Ninety-three senior appearances – only 52 in the Belgian Pro League – and a solitary Champions League outing in Antwerp’s defeat to Porto in 2023 hardly screams battle-tested. And I agree with many fans who feel a goalkeeper with more miles on the clock might have been a safer choice for a role of this magnitude.
But at 1.93m he certainly looks the part. Belgium called him up in March, which shows how quickly his stock has risen. And it’s not hard to see why when you look at the data United will have analysed.
Last season he was a revelation: 173 saves in the league, more than any goalkeeper across Europe’s top 10 leagues. In Belgium’s top flight last season, he topped the charts with 127 stops and an imposing 81.4 per cent save rate.
Some have called him the next Thibaut Courtois and Belgian football expert Kristof Terreur told The National: “He’s a talented goalkeeper, a good shot stopper, excellent at [saving] penalties and has good stats overall, and at preventing crosses. It’s a huge step from the Belgian league to Man United.
"Senne is a calm guy, but you never know how somebody will react to a new environment - and definitely not to United, one of the biggest clubs in the world. Anyway, keepers like Courtois rate him.”
Belgian media pointed out that despite all his talent, he has made several errors leading to goals which can be expected of a youngster. If he makes a mistake when playing, will this impact his confidence going forward?
I have to agree with Kristoff, you can be talented and boast all the necessary skills on paper but you’ll never know how well a player will perform in a new environment. However, we must stay optimistic.
Q: Liverpool have obviously spent really well in the market but the collapse of the Marc Guehi deal is surely worrying. A potential chink in the armour?
@sasahsani via Instagram
A: Of course, losing out to Marc Guehi is disappointing. He is an excellent defender boasting Premier League experience and is a leader who would have provided Liverpool’s centre-backs with stern competition – something every team needs.
Worrying? No. Liverpool have just pulled off one of the greatest transfer markets ever, bringing in a host of star names, as they look to build on last season's title win.
They have reinforced exceptionally well and chose to take a calculated risk by not bidding more for a player in the final year of his contract. It was a risk they were willing to take and a clever one from a business point of view.
Injuries are always a risk, but the club boasts four capable centre-backs in the squad and plenty of others who can step in if misfortune strikes.
Perhaps this works out well for Liverpool in that a youngster such as Giovanni Leoni will be given time to develop well and his ceiling is high. He can be moulded into something special - but if he’s never played, he’ll never fulfil that potential.
Besides, the winter market is only a few months away and Guehi could find himself in Liverpool red soon enough.
Q: Do you think Rasmus Hojlund will be first choice for Napoli this season and will they definitely win the title now?
@Khach82 via Instagram
A: Well, I certainly don’t think he will be warming the bench! Many had already tipped Napoli to win another title even before Hojlund’s arrival, so his qualities will only add to the sense of belief around this team. Bringing him in was smart.
With Romelu Lukaku out injured, they desperately needed a striker in addition to the young Lorenzo Lucca and Hojlund offers something different.
Against Cagliari over the weekend, Napoli struggled to unlock the away team’s defence and could have done with Hojlund. He thrives on attacking depth, taking advantage of the ball into space, and he can be devastating on the counter although he needs to improve his movement across the front.
He is not Lukaku, less dominant in the air - which is fine, they have Scott McTominay to convert Matteo Politano’s crosses. He’s not a classic hold-up man either, so manager Antonio Conte will need to adjust the way the team functions around him.
What makes Hojlund the right candidate, though, is his attitude. His professionalism, the way he trains and the work ethic that Conte values above all else.
So yes, I believe he will be the undisputed starter. As for the title? It’s hard to look past Napoli even if I still believe AC Milan can cause a surprise.
Q: Can Newcastle’s new signings make up for the loss of Alexander Isak?
@Jalalyawer via Instagram
A: That’s a difficult question to answer because Alexander Isak is one of the best strikers in the world and he will always be hard to replace.
I spoke to a Newcastle-supporting colleague as all this unfolded and he simply said: “Good riddance.” I think many fans had reached that point. They wanted someone who loved the club and Isak’s behaviour at the end was disappointing to say the least.
That said, there are reasons to be optimistic about the arrivals. I really enjoy watching Nick Woltemade, Newcastle’s new record signing. He can create, he can score, has great technical ability and quick feet for a player who is 1.98m tall. There is a reason Bayern Munich were tracking him.
As for Yoane Wissa, no-one scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League last season than his 19. We know he’s direct, quick, lethal on the counter and tireless in his work rate, but he also has plenty of quality on the ball. Like Woltemade, he can both create and score.
It is never easy to replace world-class talent, but Newcastle did well to to bring in two attackers who can make a real impact.
Q: Lois Openda to Juventus, I can’t decide if this is a good move or an unnecessary one.
@commentinggenius via Instagram
Maybe both. From a purely business perspective, Juventus already had two strikers, so adding another wasn’t an obvious priority. But once it became clear that Randal Kolo Muani was out of reach, Openda became the option.
It’s a bit like trauma shopping: Juve had only one striker available last season before Muani arrived in January, and he was forced to start every match. This summer they’ve armed themselves fully to avoid a repeat of that suffering.
I’m excited to watch Openda and believe his particular skills will translate well in Serie A. His speed is his greatest weapon, coupled with a low centre of gravity and clever movement both wide and centrally, which will greatly help Juventus. The Old Lady desperately needs more pace, and he should certainly provide that.
Those I spoke to who know him describe a very happy lad, always enthusiastic and cheerful, and I think he’ll be a welcome addition in the dressing room.
His first interview with Juventus’ official website was also endearing: “I knew there was a chance to be here. I didn’t sleep. I was ready to come here, and I’m really happy to be here.”
At RB Leipzig, he became their record signing after Xavi Simons, and in his first season he repaid that faith with 24 Bundesliga goals. He has a habit of hitting the ground running, even if last year he didn’t quite replicate that brilliance, finishing the domestic campaign with nine goals.
