Forgotten Man United player ‘is offered transfer escape route to bitter rivals of his old club’ with Erik ten Hag limiting his game time
- Altay Bayindir has played just one match since joining from Fenerbahçe
- Erik ten Hag has favored Andre Onana in almost every United game this season
- CHRIS SUTTON: I wouldn’t get the flags at Man United yet – It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Forgotten Manchester United player Altay Bayindir is reportedly Galatasaray’s main goalkeeper this summer.
The Turkey international, 25, was signed by Erik ten Hag for £4.3million last summer as Andre Onana’s back-up but has played just one game so far.
That happened against Newport County in the fourth round of the FA Cup when Onana was away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Ten Hag has chosen Onana in goal for every other match United have played this season and reports in Bayindir’s native Turkey suggest his stay at Old Trafford could be short-lived.
Newscast Aspor say Galatasaray – fierce rivals of Bayindir’s old club Fenerbahce – want to sign him this summer.
Altay Bayindir has played just one game for Manchester United since arriving last summer
United boss Erik ten Hag has chosen Andre Onana as his number one goalkeeper all season
They say Bayindir wants to work at a club where he can play regular football, something that doesn’t seem likely at United.
Fernando Muslera, Galatasaray’s 37-year-old Uruguayan goalkeeper, is at the end of his contract and could leave after 13 years at the club.
Aspor says Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk wants the next Turkish goalkeeper, not least because the club needs to reduce the number of foreign players in their squad from 14 to 12.
Bayindir had reasonably expected more regular football for United, but Ten Hag stayed with Onana for every league and cup match when he was available.
He played for Fenerbahce for four seasons, so a move from Istanbul to Galatasaray just a year after his departure wouldn’t exactly go down well with his former club.
The two clubs are battling it out for the Super Lig title, with Galatasaray two points ahead of Fenerbahce at the top.
Onana played just one match for Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations (the 3-1 defeat to Senegal in the group stage) before being dropped to the bench.
Bayindir may have expected to play more often and will reportedly get a breakout option from Galatasaray this summer
The only match Onana has missed this season was when he was away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations last month
Fenerbahce versus Galatasaray has long been one of the fiercest rivalries in football, so it would be controversial if Bayindir swapped one for the other within a year
They retired in the last 16 stage after a 2–0 defeat to Nigeria and Onana returned to play in United’s 4–3 win over Wolves after less than a fortnight away.
He then played in the wins over West Ham and Aston Villa that revived United’s bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Ten Hag’s men travel to Luton Town on Sunday.
