Altay Bayındır started this season as Manchester United’s first-choice goalkeeper, ahead of André Onana.
The Red Devils signed Senne Lammens on summer deadline day and let Onana join Trabzonspor on loan. Bayındır continued to start for Manchester United before losing his spot to the Belgian in October.
Since then, the Turkey international has settled for a place on the bench and didn’t even feature in Manchester United’s FA Cup defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in January.
Turkish interest for Red Devils stopper
On November 28th, Sport Witness covered claims from Turkey of Beşiktaş’ interest. As well as the Manchester United player, the Black Eagles had looked at other stoppers from the Premier League.
Earlier this month, Sport Witness relayed several claims from the Turkish media of their interest in Chelsea’s Filip Jørgensen and Leeds United’s Illan Meslier. A move never took shape for these two players or Bayındır.
The winter market in the UK closed on February 2nd, four days before the Turkish window closed.
Why Beşiktaş failed to sign Bayındır
A Spor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share an update from journalist Kartal Yiğit on Beşiktaş’ failure to sign the 27-year-old.
According to the journalist, the Istanbul club had reached an agreement with Manchester United to secure his services. He also adds the player made a ‘great sacrifice’ to leave Old Trafford.
Yiğit didn’t specify the details of the agreement between the clubs, and it may not really matter. He adds Beşiktaş had ‘almost finalised’ the operation before the Premier League side blocked his exit at the ‘last-minute’.
Michale Carrick now has Lammens, Bayındır and Tom Heaton as the three stoppers at his disposal. Manchester United would have been without an adequate backup had they released the Turkish goalkeeper.
Eagle Media relay Yiğit’s claim and add Manchester United’s ‘surprise stance’ on Bayındır forced Beşiktaş to sign Devis Vásquez on loan from AS Roma on winter deadline.
