Man Utd ‘reach agreement’ for sale as INEOS perform U-turn after blocking ‘last-minute’ January exit | OneFootball

According to reports, Manchester United have ‘reached an agreement’ to offload Altay Bayindir after previously blocking his exit earlier this year.

The 27-year-old joined Man Utd from Turkish giants Fenerbahce in 2023 for a fee in the region of £4.3m.

Bayindir joined Man Utd as a backup to No.1 goalkeeper Andre Onana, though he has had a couple of spells in the starting XI over the past year.

This came as Onana was taken out of the firing line following a string of dire performances, while Bayindir played at the start of this campaign as summer signing Senne Lammens bedded in.

Onana’s shambolic decline made it a priority for Man Utd to sign a new No.1 goalkeeper in last year’s summer transfer window, with Bayindir also failing to prove to be a suitable first-choice.

Man Utd were equally as shaky at the back with Onana or Bayindir between the sticks, though Lammens has fixed this problem position this season.

Lammens has been an assured presence for Man Utd as he’s not looked back since taking the No.1 jersey from Bayindir, who looks to be on borrowed time at Old Trafford.

With Onana currently on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor, Bayindir is United’s No.2 goalkeeper and Turkish outlet A Spor claimed earlier this month that he was blocked a ‘last-minute’ move to Besiktas in this year’s winter transfer window.

It is said that the move was ‘almost finalised’ at the time, but Man Utd presumably pulled the plug as Bayindir’s exit would have left them short of goalkeeper options.

However, newspaper Fanatik claims Man Utd have performed a U-turn regarding Bayindir, with club chiefs ‘now receptive to a €5m offer’ and an ‘agreement has been reached’ between the two sides ahead of the summer.

This comes amid reports suggesting Onana has been promised an opportunity to challenge Lammens for the Man Utd No.1 jersey next season.

If Lammens sustains his current form, he will be Man Utd’s N0.1 for quite some time and club legend Edwin van der Sar has been praised by him.

Van der Sar told Sky Bet: “He’s doing well. “Of course, it’s only been seven or eight months, but it certainly looks like he knows the physicality of the Premier League – I see him coming for balls in the penalty spot and he claims them with confidence, makes saves when needed, not looking to make saves when not necessary.

“I’m not here day-to-day and I don’t see all of the games, but he looks like he has a good package with him to be here [at Manchester United] for a long time.”