Updated at 19.16

MANCHESTER UNITED are attempting to sign Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens, the PA news agency understands.

Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils have spent the summer rebuilding the squad after the club’s worst top-flight season since suffering relegation 51 years ago.

United produced a promising performance in last weekend’s Premier League opener against Arsenal, but ultimately fell to a 1-0 loss after back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s blunder.

Often unconvincing Andre Onana was absent from the squad after a summer spent dealing with a hamstring injury and no little speculation.

United have been linked with a variety of goalkeepers and are now understood to be in club-to-club talks with Antwerp over a deal for Lammens.

The highly-rated 23-year-old has been called to Belgium’s senior squad and has also been linked with Serie A side Inter Milan.

The indication is that Lammens would compete for a spot at United, but quite what this would mean for the future of Onana and Bayindir is unclear.

Speaking earlier in the day at the press conference previewing Sunday’s Premier League trip to Fulham, boss Amorim said: “Onana is ready to play like last week, so we will see in the game who is going to be the goalkeeper.”

Cameroon international Onana is set to miss a chunk of the season at the African Cup of Nations.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe (left), who has insisted he still wants striker Alexander Isak (right) in is team amid continuing uncertainly over his future. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle are in a “lose-lose situation” with want-away striker Alexander Isak.

The 25-year-old Sweden international will play no part in Monday night’s Premier League clash with Liverpool — the club which had a £110 million (€126 million) bid for him rejected earlier this month — as he continues his exile in an attempt to force his way out of St James’ Park.

One way or another, the matter will be resolved by the time the transfer window closes on 1 September, and Howe knows the Magpies will be weaker — in the short-term at least — whether or not they lose or keep their disaffected star man.

The 47-year-old, who confirmed he and the striker had discussed his future at the end of last season, said: “I think it is a lose-lose situation to a degree for us because I don’t think we can come out of this winning in any situation.

“That is why I have said all summer, it is a difficult situation for the club to manage.

“We love Alex in the sense of what he has done for this football club since he has been here, what he has contributed, what he has given, how professional he’s been, and this has just been an unfortunate few months that looks like it is coming to an end.

“And it will come to an end pretty quickly, and then we can focus on the football again.”

Isak upped the ante in his efforts to engineer a move this week when he released a statement citing “broken promises” over his future, a claim which was swiftly rebuffed by the Magpies, who value him at £150 million (€173 million).

Howe, who signed the Swede from Real Sociedad for £63m (€73m) in 2022, admitted he had not spoken to the player this week, but insisted Isak could eventually be reintegrated into his team.

Asked if Isak would be totally committed to the club should he remain, the head coach said: “It goes without saying if you’re going to select a team to play, those players have to be committed to giving their best performance.

“I have always believed in those values to produce a team that can win matches. That’s what I’m paid to do. All the other stuff around it, things can change.

“I have had this so many times in my career. A player might not be in a great place one day, and a few days later, they are there and ready to play. That is the beauty of human beings, we can all change our emotions and feelings quite quickly.”

Should that happen, Howe is confident Isak would be accepted back into the fold despite his summer stand-off.

He said, “This has been a really difficult situation for him and for the players to see us without him.

“The players have handled it really well. If Alex decided to come back and play for us, the players would welcome him back.”

While bracing themselves for a follow-up bid from Liverpool, Newcastle – who have insisted all summer that Isak is not for sale – have been scouring the market not only for a potential replacement for him, but one for Callum Wilson with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen currently in their sights.

Ruben Amorim. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Meanwhile, Amorim admits it is not a good situation to still have four wantaway players at Manchester United but says “anything can happen” if they do not find a suitable solution.

Marcus Rashford is the only member of the so-called ‘bomb squad’ to have left, with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia still working away from United’s first-team squad.

The quartet are attracting interest, but no resolution appears imminent, with clubs seemingly testing the Red Devils’ resolve on valuations as the deadline edges closer.

“I know that it’s not a good thing to have players in this situation, but it’s clear they want to play in a different club,” Amorim said. “That is clear.

“So, we try to arrange everything for both parties to be happy, so I have to try to imagine, to have the training with the guys that I think are going to be the future.

“Then the other guys are training and preparing for the next chapter.

“When the window is closed, it’s a different history. When the window is closed, we have to receive the players and then a new life. Anything can happen.”