Shay Given Praises Tielemans Deal and Lammens as United's Key Keeper

Manchester United’s £35 million move for Youri Tielemans has been branded a “really good piece of business” by Shay Given, who believes the Belgian offers far better value than some of the eye-watering midfield deals elsewhere in the market.

Speaking to BOYLE Sports, Given set out the comparison in blunt financial terms. Sandro Tonali at £100 million. Bruno Guimaraes at £75 million. Tielemans at £35 million.

For the former Republic of Ireland No. 1, the maths is simple.

“Have Manchester United weakened their midfield by not trying to sign Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes? Well, I think Youri Tielemans is a really good signing,” he said, pointing out that Aston Villa were effectively forced into the sale. “Remember Aston Villa only had to sell him because of financial reasons, because they signed him on a free. That’s frustrating for Villa because they have two billionaire owners but that’s what the rules say.

“To sign Tielemans for £35 million when Sandro Tonali was £100 million, well that’s actually a really good piece of business because United are getting a really experienced player for club and country.”

In a market where Premier League clubs routinely pay a premium for potential, Given sees United buying proven quality at a fraction of the going rate. Tielemans arrives with years of top-flight and international experience, and in the eyes of the 48-year-old, that tilts the deal firmly in United’s favour.

Lammens hailed as De Gea’s true heir

Given’s enthusiasm does not stop in midfield. He is just as animated when the conversation turns to Senne Lammens, the 24-year-old goalkeeper he believes finally ends United’s long-running uncertainty in goal.

“I think Senne Lammens has got the lot,” Given said. “He’s been a breath of fresh air for Manchester United.”

United have cycled through options since David De Gea’s departure, searching for a keeper who can combine presence, shot-stopping and composure. Given argues they now have that profile in Lammens, and he did not spare the predecessors.

“I was surprised Ruben Amorim didn’t put him straight in as they signed him because Andre Onana and Altay Bayındır weren’t at the level required, if I’m being brutally honest,” he admitted.

The timing still irks him. The first Manchester derby after Lammens arrived felt, to Given, like the perfect stage.

“The first Manchester derby after they signed him could have been his first game. City put Gianluigi Donnarumma straight in. I think Amorim hesitated because Lammens is younger and less experienced in such a big game but I would have chucked him in too because he plays with such a calmness. Nothing seems to faze him.”

That calm is what Given keeps coming back to. For a club that has lived with nerves and uncertainty at the back, he sees a goalkeeper who steadies everything around him.

From World Cup nightmare to Old Trafford anchor

Lammens’ rise has not been without scars. His most painful moment came on the biggest stage, a costly fumble at the World Cup that led directly to his country’s elimination.

Given, who knows the unforgiving nature of the position, rushed to defend him and to explain the context that often gets lost when a single clip goes viral.

“He was really unfortunate at the World Cup,” he said. “I think it’s 10 times harder to come off the bench as a goalkeeper than an outfield player. If you’re a midfielder, you can get the ball, pass it back and get a feel for the game. The first thing Lammens had to do was deal with a shot he would save 99 times out of a 100 and hold on to it.”

The detail matters. A quick warm-up on the touchline. Cold hands. No rhythm.

“Yes, he did a quick warm up on the side of the pitch but that shot would have been the first time he really felt the ball in probably two hours. He fumbled it and it was a really bad mistake to knock his country out of the World Cup. There will be mental scars from that, but he’s come back to Manchester United and he’ll have time to process that.”

For Given, that trauma can harden a goalkeeper rather than break him, provided the environment is right. At Old Trafford, he sees the foundations for that recovery: games, trust, and a defensive unit that believes in the man behind them.

United fans have spent years pleading for reliability between the posts. Lammens, in Given’s view, finally answers that call.

“I like Senne Lammens a lot, I really do,” he said. “I don’t think United have any problems when it comes to his position now in goal and they’ve got it wrong so many times in the past.

“I think Lammens has got a big future ahead of him and he’s the sort of goalkeeper that walks onto the pitch and makes everyone feel more secure. They all feel they can trust him. They know he’s going to be a seven or eight out of 10 at least and is going to save them.”

A midfield rebuilt around the value of Tielemans. A penalty area finally commanded by Lammens. If Given is right, United have quietly solved two problems that have haunted them for years.