Turkey national team head coach Vincenzo Motella has heaped praise onto Altay Bayindir after their recent triumphs; qualifying for Euro 2024 and overturning Germany 3-2 in a friendly.
The Manchester United goalkeeper is yet to make his debut for the club since signing on a £4.3 million deal from Fenerbache on deadline day over the summer, with Erik ten Hag opting against deploying him in cup competitions.
This is likely because, in the same window, the Red Devils forked out £47.2m on David de Gea’s successor, Andre Onana. He has played all 18 games this term, keeping six clean sheets.
Bayindir is almost inevitably going to get his chance to shine in the New Year though, as Onana is all but certain to be jetting off to represent Cameroon in AFCON. Should he excel between the sticks in the No.1’s absence, he could well be granted increased game time.
He faces a similar battle at international level in terms of fighting for a starting role, with Trabzonspor’s Ugurcan Cakir often preferred over the Red.
When Bayindir makes his maiden outing, he’ll make United history by becoming the first-ever Turkish international to play for the club, and he’s already the first to have been registered in the squad.
Motella lauds Bayindir
Motella is confident that the 25-year-old can make an impact in Ten Hag’s squad. He recently said, via Sporx: “Altay is a very young goalkeeper. He showed once again how good a goalkeeper he is [was] in the match against Germany. I am sure that he will be able to play for their team as well. Despite his young age, he has experience.”
“When he gets the opportunity to play, he will show once again how important a goalkeeper he is. I am very comfortable about the goalkeeper.”
He was a world clash player with tacktics