Owen Hargreaves has named Manchester United’s signing of the season with the Red Devils having fun with a promising campaign and qualifying for the Champions League.
United spent over £200m last summer, bringing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens to Old Trafford.
All 4 of those signings have enjoyed encouraging first seasons in Manchester, with Sesko scoring ten goals in 15 appearances since Ruben Amorim was sacked in January.
Cunha and Mbeumo have brought some much-needed flair to United’s attack, sharing 19 goals in all competitions, while Lammens has helped tighten up a previously leaky defence.
Hargreaves has praised the impact of Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko but singled out Lammens as Manchester United’s standout summer signing.
The Belgian goalkeeper was expected to compete with Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir for a spot within the team but quickly leapfrogged each to grow to be the No. 1 at Old Trafford.
‘I’ll let you know who’s probably been the most effective signing of all of them: Senne Lammens,’ Hargreaves told TNT Sports. ‘What did he cost? Not rather a lot so he’s been value for money.
‘I feel United checked out it and thought, “what gets us up the table and gets us into the Champions League places?” It’s not a brand new midfield player or a goalkeeper, it’s goals.
‘So they added Cunha and Mbeumo, guys with Premier League experience who can get you 20-odd goals and United are third right now so I feel that’s been proven correct.
‘But I do think in the event that they hadn’t have sorted the goalkeeper out, they wouldn’t be within the top-four.’
Ally McCoist agreed with Hargreaves’ assessment, adding: ‘I don’t think you may underestimate that.
‘When you have a look at United defensively, they’d no confidence in any respect in what was behind them.
‘All of a sudden they’ve someone who they do trust in and I just think that makes such a giant difference.’
Lammens has barely put a foot unsuitable this season and earned more praise for his performance in Manchester United’s goalless draw with Sunderland on Saturday.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an online
browser that
supports HTML5
video
‘I feel I could be happy with the season I’ve been having,’ said Lammens, who accomplished an £18m move from Royal Antwerp.
‘I had the proper opportunity and it was the proper time to return into the team and to grow.
‘I had loads of things to learn and still have but on this squad, I also get the chance to indicate myself and to assist the team out.
‘It’s been a excellent season for me personally. As a team as well, we’ve been growing and now it’s concerning the next step.
‘Next season goes to be a giant one. Everyone’s going to step up again because while this season was okay, it’s not our end goal.
‘We have now to maintain constructing on this and check out to recuperate.’
Manchester United’s final two Premier League games of the season are against Nottingham Forest and Brighton.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Andoni Iraola firm in response to Manchester United, Liverpool and Crystal Palace links
MORE: Senne Lammens reveals Michael Carrick message to Man Utd squad after Sunderland draw
MORE: West Ham vs Arsenal: Predicted lineup today and confirmed team news