Euro club hijacks rival’s move for “exceptional” United star, talks underway to “finalise” deal – report

Besiktas are ramping up their pursuit of Andre Onana as a transfer war threatens to erupt in Türkiye for the 30-year-old goalkeeper, according to a new report. No future at Old Trafford Despite his personal ambitions of a return, Manchester United remain intent on selling Onana after he spent the season on loan at Super Lig side Trabzonspor. The signing of Senne Lammens last year left Onana as the third-choice under Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim, who had opted for Altay Bayindir to start the season before the 23-year-old Belgian was signed. And while the prickly Portuguese no longer resides in M16, the club’s hierarchy are steadfast in their decision to rid themselves of both Onana and Bayindir this summer. Trabzonspor are interested in keeping the Cameroon international after an impressive loan spell, which saw him lift the Turkish cup with a 2-1 win over Konyaspor. However, the Black Sea Storm will struggle to match United’s asking price, instead preferring to strike another loan deal. This has allowed Besiktas to launch a hijack, Fotomac reveals. Besiktas open negotiations The Turkish outlet claims Besiktas have “begun negotiations” with United over a deal, as they believe Trabzonspor will “not be able to make a satisfactory offer”. The Black and Whites, who were managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for eight months last year, want to “finalise the transfer” if their rivals fail to progress in their own talks. The Red Devils’ preference is to sell Onana, but the report states there is growing acceptance this may not be possible as his salary will increase with the return to the Champions League. Consequently, INEOS are now “open to loaning the player out again,” despite their initial plan to force a permanent exit. Interestingly, Besiktas have also been strongly linked with a move for Bayindir. The 28-year-old Türkiye international, who played for Fenerbahce before his switch to Old Trafford, is understood to be close to agreeing a return to Istanbul. Final Thoughts Out of their two goalkeeping misfits, United are more concerned with sealing Onana’s departure than Bayindir, whose contract and price tag are commensurate with his role as back-up goalkeeper. The Cameroonian, signed from Inter Milan for £47.2 million in 2023 after being described as “exceptional” by Pep Guardiola, has proven to be one of the club’s worst pieces of business in recent years. If Besiktas are prioritising a deal for Onana at the expense of Bayindir, this will prove a welcome development for the hierarchy in M16 – even if it means finding an alternative home for the 6’6 Turk. Feature image Matt McNulty via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.