Altay Bayindir reportedly has a £4.3 million release clause in his contract with Manchester United launching a bid to bring the Fenerbahce goalkeeper to the Premier League.
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After waiting three weeks of the window for their first signing of the summer – Mason Mount officially unveiled as Manchester United’s new number seven in midweek – deals two, three and four appear to be progressing rather quickly.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Man United made a new and improved offer of £42 million for Andr e Onana on Thursday. A £50 million bid for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund is also in the pipeline (The Telegraph).
And while the prospective deals for Onana and Hojlund will hog most of the headlines, Erik ten Hag, John Murtough, Matt Hargreaves and co are also hard at work behind the scenes as they look to snap up a ‘back-up’ goalkeeper on the cheap.
Altay Bayindir could join Man United on the cheap
United are reportedly in talks with Urawa Red Diamonds about Japan international Zion Suzuki.
Bayindir, meanwhile, is the most affordable of the lot. The five-cap shot-stopper reportedly has a £4.3 million release clause in his Fenerbahce contract.
The Red Devils made a £2.5 million bid earlier in the week, per reporter Murat Zorlu. But even if Fenerbahce hold out for the entirety of that £4.3 million – and they under no immediate pressure to cash in for less than five years left on Bayindir’s contract – a goalkeeper who was actually tipped to join Man United by a former Turkey international back in 2021 could arrive while barely putting a dent in Ten Hag’s budget.
“There may be offers from abroad for Altay. We follow the process in the best way and we will decide accordingly,” Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal tells Goal and NTV.
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“His morale and motivation are good. We follow this situation closely with our president. We will decide (on his future) according to the developments.
“There is no such thing as; ‘Let Altay go!’. Or; ‘Let’s get a (new) goalkeeper’. We follow the situation accordingly. We will decide.”
Bayindir, according to Fener president Ali Koc, is a ‘special player’ with a ‘special personality’. It remains to be seen how he would feel about a back-up role at Old Trafford, though the prospect of United competing on multiple fronts means there should be plenty of opportunities for Bayindir to make his mark.