Manchester United are closing in on a move to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens in an £18million deal, talkSPORT understands.

The Red Devils have decided against bringing in Aston Villa shot-stopper Emi Martinez.

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Martinez was an option for United in the closing hours of the transfer window.

Amid speculation he could be on his way to Old Trafford, Martinez was omitted from Aston Villa’s squad for their defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday evening.

But United have opted instead to sign Lammens, with the 23-year-old travelling to England for his medical and to complete his switch.

Lammens has already agreed personal terms with United on a five-year contract.

talkSPORT first reported Manchester United’s interest in Lammens in July

The Belgium Under-21 international has been left out of his team’s last two league matches amid speculation over his future.

While Martinez to United is off, it is believed that the Villans are actively looking to offload the 2022 World Cup winner before the 7pm deadline on Monday night.

Why are Manchester United signing a new goalkeeper?

United have been plagued by bad performances in goal for much of Ruben Amorim’s tenure.

Altay Bayindir was at fault for Riccardo Calafiori’s matchwinner in their opening game of the season against Arsenal.

He was guilty of another blunder in his side’s recent 3-2 win over Burnley where he was culpable for the Clarets’ second goal – spilling an effort that was then bundled home by Jaidon Anthony.

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Meanwhile, Andre Onana was the face of humiliation against League Two side Grimsby in the Carabao Cup second round.

Lammens was initially seen as a back-up option to Onana, a role that may have been reconsidered after the Cameroonian’s horror start this term and inconsistencies since his arrival from Inter Milan in 2023.

Onana was at fault for both goals in United’s 2-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby which was decided on penalties, where he also failed to make multiple saves despite getting a glove on the ball.

Amorim was questioned about the goalkeeper in particular post-match, but refused to single anyone out.

“I think something has to change. In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend [against Burnley] and then we have time to think,” he said in response.

“In the first half, I told them that they were speaking really loud to me: ‘I understand what you are doing, what I am seeing. Let’s try to change that in the 45 minutes’.

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“It’s not the goalkeepers. It’s more than that. It’s everyone. Thank you.”

Despite his comments, Bayindir was again at fault for Burnley’s second equaliser of the match, with Amorim having to put up another defence.

“They are humans. At Manchester United, everything is analysed,” he said after the edgy 3-2 win.

“Everybody talks about the goalkeeper. And you can see, I can change the goalkeeper and these situations keep happening. We are in that moment.

“I think it is hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment. But if you look at the first goal, we can defend it better.

“We suffered a quite similar goal against Fulham, because we don’t do the full rotation of the team when the ball is on the other side.

“All these small things have nothing to do with the goalkeeper.”