Altay Bayindir is a Turkish goalkeeper who recently joined Manchester United on a move from Fenerbahce.
He is considered to be one of the most promising goalkeepers in Turkish football.
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Bayindir was born in Izmir, Turkey on April 14, 1997. He started off as a defender at Yolspor with this brother and first played in goal when his teammate decided not to turn up for training one day.
The coach put him in goal because he was the tallest player in training that day and he has stayed in the same position ever since.
“I made two saves and that was it,” he said.
“I went home and asked my mum if I should become a keeper and she told me to go for it, that I could become a keeper.
“After that I was jumping around on the bed practicing diving all the time.”
He got picked up by the Bursaspor academy and rose through the youth ranks before being snapped up by MKE Ankaragucu where he began his professional career with MKE in 2015.
He made his debut for the club at the age of 18 and quickly established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper.
In 2019, Bayindir was transferred to Fenerbahçe for a fee of 1.5 million euros.
He continued to impress at Fenerbahçe and was named the Süper Lig Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021.
In the summer of 2023, Bayindir was transferred to Manchester United for a fee of €5 million.
In doing so he became the first Turkish international player to join United.
The 25-year-old is a talented goalkeeper with a lot of potential but will have to wait for a chance to prove himself at United but he is ready to fight for his place.
He is currently the backup goalkeeper at the club to André Onana, but he is expected to challenge for the starting spot in the future.
“Yeah, of course. I spoke with Tom Heaton [on] my first day. He is a quality person. He said ‘if you need something, you can tell me about everything’. He is a very good person and I am thinking the same about every goalkeeper and we are a team. We are together now. We will fight together and with Onana, with Tom Heaton, and with young goalkeepers, we are family. We are on the pitch together. We will fight for Manchester United,” he said in his first interview after joining United.
Bayindir is a talented goalkeeper with a lot of potential. He is strong in the air, has good reflexes, and is a good shot-stopper. He is also a good communicator and leader.
Bayindir has also made an impact at the international level. He made his debut for the Turkish national team in 2021 and has six caps for his country.
Bayindir is known for his work ethic and dedication. He is often the first player to arrive at training and the last to leave.
He is also known for his positive attitude and his ability to motivate his teammates.
Bayindir is a role model for young Turkish footballers. He is an inspiration to many young players who dream of playing professional football.
