Exclusive: Newcastle Lead Race for £30m-Rated Belgian Keeper Senne Lammens

Newcastle United and Wolves have joined the race to sign Royal Antwerp wonderkid Senne Lammens, SportsBoom can reveal.

Manchester United and Manchester City are both reported to have bene keep tabs on the highly-rated Belgium shot-stopper.

But now the Magpies are understood to be close to lining up a bid to the 22-year-old keeper, rated as one of the best prospects in Europe.

Lammens has starred for Antwerp in the Belgium top tier this season and started 39 times as the club finished third in the standings.

But the ambitious youngster is keen to test himself in England and, even though his contract does not expire until 2027, he is understood to be open to a move to the Premier League.

Compatriot and Real Madrid legend Thibaut Courtois is one of Lammens’ heroes, with the keeper hungry to follow in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Mat Sels (Nottingham Forest) and Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), who have both played in the Premier League.

Lammens would welcome the chance to test himself at a higher level.

NEW CHALLENGE

Five-time Belgium Jupiler League winners Antwerp finished a worrying 18 points behind Union St Gilloise this season and were hammered 4-0 by their rivals in the end of season play-offs last Sunday.

And Lammens, who has represented Belgium nine times at Under-21 level – as well as at every age-group leading up to that level for his country – is keen for a change having been with Antwerp for two seasons.

He feels the chance to play in England – and for one of Europe’s leading clubs – can only help his burgeoning career blossom even further.

In March this year Lammes was named in the Belgium senior squad for the season and is tipped to follow in the footsteps of his hero Courtois if he can continue to improve at such a rapid rate.

However, Antwerp are thought to be looking for as much as £30million for the keeper, with other top European clubs having also been to watch him play this season.