Man Utd agree first summer transfer – but they’ve made a €4.7m blunder

Robin Bairner

• 25 Feb 2026 07:15 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Manchester United have agreed their first transfer for the summer of 2026, but it should be a deal that leaves fans once again questioning the club’s abilities in the market.

The Red Devils have agreed to sell second-string goalkeeper Altay Bayindir to Besiktas, and while this was a predictable turn of events given Senne Lammens’ rise, what was not on the cards was the bargain price that the Old Trafford club have agreed to allow him to depart for.

A fee of €5 million has been agreed for the 27-year-old, and while some may see this as acceptable given that it matches the figure that Man Utd paid Fenerbahce for him in the summer of 2023, the reality is that they have missed out on a substantial payday.

Altay Bayindir to Beskitas: The agreed terms of the transfer

Besitkas have agreed to sign Bayindir from Man Utd, Turkish outlet Fanatik has confirmed.

He will leave for €5m and is poised to sign a contract worth in the region of €2m per year. Previously, he had requested €3m per season.

The deal, which Besiktas had hoped to finalise in January, will be completed as soon as the summer transfer window opens.

Man Utd miss out on €4.7m windfall

Man Utd sporting director Jason Wilcox has failed to get value for the goalkeeper. Bayindir has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €9.7m, meaning that the Red Devils have undersold the keeper by €4.7m.

Given the manner in which Ineos have hungrily pursued cost-cutting measures at Old Trafford, this is a huge figure to leave on the table given the 27-year-old was a capable backup and still has 18 months left on his Man Utd contract (plus one year as an option).

Ultimately, this inability to get market value for the shot-stopper will fall on the shoulders of Wilcox, who is responsible for overseeing transfers at the club.

Bayindir leaving but Man Utd headache remains

There is no guarantee this will open the door for a new recruit given that Andre Onana is eager to return to the club following his spell with Trabzonspor.

The Cameroon keeper is still hopeful of proving himself at Old Trafford, though he has failed to convince on his loan move to Turkey this season.

Onana’s ETV has been slashed from €34m at the end of last season to a current value of €17.8m, with The Guardian reporting that he has no intention of leaving the club permanently, despite TalkSport claiming the club wants to sell.

Between Onana’s continued fall from grace and Man Utd agreeing to sell Bayindir for half his true worth, Man Utd’s issues in terms of a backup goalkeeper show few signs of clearing.

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