Shay Given has made a neat case for two Manchester United signings. He called Youri Tielemans a really good signing at £35 million, and he said Senne Lammens has "got the lot" in goal. That is a strong verdict, but it is not built on hype alone.

Tielemans and the price tag

Given's point on Tielemans is simple enough. United agreed to sign him for £35 million after Aston Villa signed him on a free transfer, and he contrasted that fee with Sandro Tonali's £100 million move. In his words, that is "a really good piece of business" because United are getting an experienced player for club and country.

There is some on-pitch support for that view. Tielemans has already made 5 appearances in 2026 and is averaging a 7.44 rating in that span. That does not prove the fee was a steal, but it does show he has settled quickly enough to make Given's praise sound more like analysis than nostalgia.

Lammens and the goalkeeper question

The bigger swing from Given is in goal. He said Lammens has been a breath of fresh air for United and that he would have put him straight in because André Onana and Altay Bayındır were not at the required level, in his view. He also argued the first Manchester derby after the signing could have been Lammens' debut.

Given was more sympathetic about the World Cup mistake that followed. He said Lammens was "really unfortunate" and that he had probably not really felt the ball for about two hours before the shot that caught him out. The sample is tiny, with just 1 recorded appearance in 2026 and a 6.0 rating, so the long-term certainty is not there yet. Still, his calmness is the trait Given keeps coming back to, and that is usually the right place to start with a goalkeeper.

The caution is obvious enough. One good opinion is not a scouting report, and one appearance is not a full verdict. Even so, Given's read on Tielemans looks backed by early output, while his faith in Lammens is the more speculative part of the argument. United have one player who is already showing value and another who, for now, is still a projection.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →