Man Utd ‘discuss swap deal’ involving Nigerian midfielder after Jason Wilcox heeds Solskjaer advice | OneFootball

Manchester United are planning to offload Altay Bayindir to Besiktas in the summer transfer window and bring Wilfred Ndidi to Old Trafford in a swap deal, according to a report.

Man Utd’s desire to sign a central/defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window has been well-documented.

With Casemiro set to leave Man Utd at the end of the season, the club’s co-owners, INEOS, have a pressing need to sign at least one midfielder to replace the former Real Madrid star.

Our friends at TEAMtalk reported on January 26, 2026, that Man Utd launched an enquiry about signing Wilfred Ndidi from Besiktas in the January transfer window.

Former Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer worked with Ndidi at Besiktas, and he advised the Red Devils’ director of football, Jason Wilcox, to consider a deal for the Nigeria international midfielder.

Man Utd took Solskjaer’s advice and made initial enquiries for the 29-year-old, but INEOS decided against making a formal offer.

It has now emerged in the Turkish media that Man Utd’s interest in the former Leicester City star remains intact.

According to Sporx, Man Utd are willing to do a deal with Besiktas for Ndidi that involves sending Bayindir to the Turkish Super Lig club.

Besiktas manager Sergen Yalcin wants to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer transfer window and ‘made a clear request’ to his bosses to sign Bayindir from Man Utd.

The 27-year-old Turkey international goalkeeper has become the ‘primary target’ for Besiktas for the summer transfer window.

The report has added that ‘Manchester United, who have been following Wilfred Ndidi for a long time, are preparing to make another move at the end of the season, and a swap deal involving Altay Bayindir has been discussed’.

If Man Utd are able to pull off this ‘surprise swap deal’, then INEOS will have to be given a lot of credit.

Senne Lammens is the first number one goalkeeper for Man Utd at the moment, and that is not going to change anytime soon.

Bayindir is the back-up to Lammens and is out of contract at Man Utd in the summer of 2027.

Since his move to Man Utd from Fenerbahce in 2023, the 27-year-old goalkeeper has made only 17 appearances.

Ndidi is 29 and is at the top of his game, and given his experience and success at Leicester, he would be able to make an immediate impact at Man Utd.

The Nigerian star is under contract at Besiktas until the summer of 2028, with an option to extend it for another year.