Senne Lammens ‘wants to leave’ as Leeds United attempt to lure the talented shot-stopper to the Premier League, Club Brugge’s goalkeeping coach Peter Mollez tells KW.
On the back of a week in which former Elland Road prospect Elia Caprile was linked with a move to Serie A leaders Napoli – the up-and-coming Italian making huge strides for Bari in the second-tier – Leeds have been handed a boost in their pursuit of another fresh-faced goalkeeping talent.
According to HLN, Lammens has already turned down a new deal at Club Brugge. His contract expires in July, and talks with the Yorkshire giants are already underway. What’s more, Club Brugge have now signed Josef Bursik from Stoke City; a readymade replacement for a man who, Mollez says, had initially been lined up to succeed veteran Simon Mignolet between the sticks at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
With his contract running down, with Bursik ready to step into his shoes, and with Lammens’ social media activity adding yet more fuel to the fire, an Elland Road unveiling may not be too far away.
Leeds United are in talks to sign Club Brugge goalkeeper Senne Lammens
“Together, we have intensified Club’s entire goalkeeper training,” explains Mollez. “We have prepared guys like Senne Lammens and Nick Shilton – two gigantic talents – to succeed Simon,”
“Senne was still training with the reserves (when I arrived). But, after four weeks, I asked to move him to the first-team.
“But I understand that Senne wants to leave after two years on the bench. The boy should be able to take the next step in his career. Simon is actually (keeping him out of the starting XI).”
Lammens, capped three times by Belgium’s U21s, has not made a single appearance for Club Brugge’s first-team this season. Mignolet, once of Liverpool and Sunderland, turns 35 this year. But there is no suggestion that his place is coming under any semblance of threat; the experienced glovesman ageing as gracefully and as impressively as Brendan Fraser’s film career.
Of course, first-team football will be not be any easier for Lammens to come by at Elland Road; Illan Meslier one of Europe’s most exciting young ‘keepers. But, with Meslier already catching the eye of some of the game’s biggest and most well-heeled clubs, perhaps Lammens is part of some grand succession plan.
Meslier took home a clean sheet as Leeds drew 0-0 at home to a resilient Brentford on Sunday.
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