After many months on the bench, Altay Bayindir finally had a chance at Man United. The Turkish international has played in many tense atmospheres in his home country. Therefore, there is not much worry if Bayindir is the main target in the away match against Newport County in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
At the age of 20, he is the third choice goalkeeper of the Turkish team, Ankaragucu. After signing for Man United from Fenerbahce last summer, Bayindir is expected to feature before the end of January. However, Andre Onana has chosen almost every playing time, despite his poor form, before leaving for the African Nations Cup.
Moestafa El Kabir, a former Bayindir teammate at Ankaragucu, shared: " Bayindir is a goalkeeper with good reflexes and good footwork. When the first goalkeeper was injured, the second choice played one match and did not play well. I told the coach that Bayindir should be on the field because he has performed very well in training."
Bayindir is 10 years younger than his counterparts, but has proven his ability and maintained his position for the rest of the season. When he moved to Fenerbahce in the summer of 2019, he immediately became a regular starting goalkeeper.
"I remember him helping us win a game with some great saves. That was a 20-year-old teenager. He is confident and very attractive on the pitch. He lives on the pitch, doesn't say much but respects the older players," El Kabir added.
Bayindir's first season at Fenerbahce, the team only finished 7th, but for this goalkeeper it was a success. Wearing the number 98 shirt, he has played 32 times in the domestic league.
Bayindir made his international debut in May 2021 for Turkey but has never been the number one choice, with only 8 caps. There are still many questions about Bayindir's ability to use his feet and deal with crosses, but he has worked hard to improve.
Michael Kraft, Fenerbahce's goalkeeper coach, said: "In Türkiye, the players are under great pressure. For fans, there is no intermediary point: you are a hero or a loser. Moving to Manchester United is a good new start for Bayindir. You will have a lot of fun with him at Man United".
Man United saw the potential of Bayindir when looking for a backup option for Onana. The "Red Devils" decided to sign this goalkeeper for 4.7 million pounds. However, Erik ten Hag did not give Bayindir a chance in the Carabao Cup, despite Onana's mistakes. However, Bayindir is finally ready to become the first Turkish player to represent Man United.
Onana was left out by Cameroon in the final match of the group stage at the AFCON and will soon return to Man United. However, Bayindir should be given the opportunity to try, whether in the Premier League or FA Cup. Reputation and position are not important for Bayindir. This young goalkeeper just wants to have the opportunity to prove himself and that is about to happen...
