Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Altay Bayindir will retain his place in goal for Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Bayindir has been United’s starting keeper in each of our three Premier League games so far, while Andre Onana had the gloves for the Carabao Cup tie against Grimsby Town.
Onana completed a loan move to Trabzonspor on Thursday, while Senne Lammens was brought in on deadline day to boost the goalkeeping department.
Amorim explained the thinking behind signing the Belgian, but added that Bayindir’s English experience would give him the nod at the Etihad Stadium.
“We are really pleased: he [Senne] is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential,”
said Amorim.
“I know that we are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience but we are also in the moment that we have to look at the present, but with a focus on the future.
“So it’s a little bit of both. A guy with great potential that is one more option, one more option to play, and he’ll be ready.
“It’s the same thing that I do with different positions [in deciding the line-up],”
he continued.
“Of course, it’s not the same, but Altay is going to continue because it’s a different league, it’s a different country, trainings, ball, so we try to maintain that and they will fight for the position.
“So, for me, it’s clear, Altay will start. We believe in our goalkeepers, I believe in Altay, he’s ready to play and he’s going to play.”
The boss was also asked about the decision to allow Onana to move after two years as United’s no.1.
There was a mutual feeling from both parties that a change was required, with the Cameroonian joining the Turkish club for the remainder of this season.
“We saw Andre Onana did a very, very good season in Inter,”
he said, referring to Andre’s spell with the Italian giants in 2022/23.
“The quality is there, but we are in the club, sometimes in the moment, things are getting harder and harder and you can be really experienced, but in this club, sometimes the pressure is so hard in every detail, sometimes you need a change.
“I think not just us as a club, but also Andre, we understood that this needed a change, and sometimes it’s hard to fathom why. It’s the performance, the moment, the bad luck in some moments was hard on him, was hard on us.
“Our thinking is to have a change in the goalkeepers, but I wish the best to Andre Onana.
“He was really good on working, trying to help the players, but sometimes you can have all the quality in the world but you need to change the environment to return to your level, and I think that was the feeling - not just for us but Andre as well.”