Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Altay Bayindir will remain in goal for Manchester United in Sunday's derby against Manchester City, despite the club's deadline-day signing of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for £18m. Bayindir has started United's three Premier League games this season, displacing André Onana as first-choice goalkeeper.
Amorim stated that Lammens, 23, needs time to adapt to English football. 'Altay is going to continue. It is a different league, different country, different ball. So they will fight for the position. We are really pleased – he is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential,' he said. 'We are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience but we also have to look at the present with a focus on the future.'
United had considered signing Aston Villa's Emiliano Martínez, but opted for Lammens. Amorim explained: 'Sometimes as a club you try to see different options – one or another. We have an option that can give us different things at the moment but also has a great potential to be our goalkeeper for a number of years.'
Onana, who joined United in 2023, has been loaned to Trabzonspor for the season. Amorim suggested the 29-year-old struggled with the pressure at Old Trafford. 'André Onana did a very good season at Inter, the quality is there, but in the club sometimes things are getting harder, the pressure is so hard, sometimes you need a change. Our thinking is to have a change in the goalkeepers but I wish the best for André Onana.'
Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha will miss the derby due to injury. 'They are out for this game. I don't know how long it is going to take – I don't want to say. If you talk with Cunha he will say he can play this game so I don't know. We will manage day by day,' Amorim added.
