Leeds United handed transfer boost as target ‘wants to leave’

Leeds United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Senne Lammens this month, with Club Brugge’s goalkeeping coach Peter Mollez confirming he wants to leave the club. The Whites are reportedly in talks with the goalkeeper over a move in the January transfer window.

Lammens has made his way up through the ranks at Club Brugge, impressing for their youth sides and scoring the decisive goal in a UEFA Youth Champions League group stage clash against Real Madrid in 2019. The youngster went onto make his senior debut for the Belgian club in July 2021, however he had to wait another ten months for his second appearance and hasn’t featured since.

With his contract set to expire in the summer, Lammens has now turned down a new deal at Club Brugge as he seeks first team football rather than remaining as Simon Mignolet’s understudy. The former Liverpool shotstopper has been in brilliant form for the Blue-Back and Mollez has admitted it is the only thing preventing Lammens from breaking into the first team.

Speaking to KW, Mollez said: “Together, we have intensified the club’s entire goalkeeper training. 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].”

Like Illan Meslier, Lammens has amassed a number of international caps for Belgium’s U21 side and could provide real competition at club level if he was to join the Frenchman at Elland Road. Meslier has solidified himself as the Whites’ number one and has enjoyed a brilliant season in between the sticks, though Lammens may be more confident of knocking him off his perch than Mignolet at Club Brugge.

Kristoffer Klaesson and Joel Robles have acted as second and third choice behind Meslier during the current campaign. The duo are both yet to feature in the Premier League for the Whites.