Euro outfit making ‘significant strides’ in pursuit of 27-y/o Man Utd wantaway after INEOS blocked January move

Besiktas are reportedly making ‘significant strides’ in their pursuit of Altay Bayindir ahead of a summer move.That’s according to Turkish Football, which adds that it’s now looking ‘increasingly likely’ that the shot-stopper returns to his homeland this year after three years with Manchester United.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYBayindir was brought in by Erik ten Hag back in 2023 to provide backup to newly-signed Andre Onana. He arrived in a £4.3 million deal from Fenerbahce, putting pen to paper on a four-year deal in M16.Now, it looks almost nailed on that he’ll depart in the penultimate year of his contract in order to secure a No.1 spot elsewhere – and you can’t blame him for wanting to do so. Appearances  Goals conceded Clean sheets 17 31 3 *Bayindir’s record in all competitions for United (Transfermarkt)Bayindir preparing to pull the curtains on United spell(Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)The 27-year-old has never kicked up a fuss about his heavily reduced role at United, even when he was promoted to Ruben Amorim’s first-choice at the start of the current season before being demoted again following Senne Lammens’ switch.When 2025/2026 got underway, Amorim opted to deploy Bayindir instead of Onana for the opening matches of the Premier League campaign, with the Cameroonian only featuring in United’s dismal Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town at the end of August, which spelt the end of his Red Devils career.He was shipped out on loan to Trabzonspor while United simultaneously negotiated a deal for Lammens, who was eased into the action by not featuring for the first three games after his transfer.Since Lammens’ debut against Sunderland on October 4, Bayindir has not been utilised – even for the side’s FA Cup opener against Brighton and Hove Albion when Darren Fletcher was at the reins.United rebuffed mid-season offer for Bayindir (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Although he has been made to watch on from the sidelines each week, INEOS declined a winter approach from Besiktas, who wanted to add Bayindir to their ranks mid-season.Accepting such a deal would’ve left only Lammens and 39-year-old Tom Heaton in the goalkeeping department from January to May.