Besiktas will reportedly look to sign a goalkeeper before the winter transfer window shuts down, with Altay Bayindir and Illan Meslier emerging as targets.

According to a report by TEAMtalk, Altay Bayindir is the subject of interest from Besiktas. The Black Eagles are keen on bolstering their first-team squad by signing a goalkeeper in the winter transfer window. So, the 27-year-old Manchester United shot-stopper has emerged as a target for the underperforming Turkish Super Lig club.

Bayindir has emerged as a target, as the Turkish giants have encountered “complications in their bid to prise Illan Meslier from Leeds United” in the final days of the winter transfer window. However, Besiktas will face a tall order in the battle for the Turk’s signature, as Manchester United will not sanction his departure this week.

How has Altay Bayindir fared at Manchester United?

Altay Bayindir has endured a topsy-turvy ride since joining Manchester United from Fenerbahce in a deal worth €5 million in September 2023. While the 27-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance during his sporadic appearances for the Premier League club, he has also been an unreliable presence between the sticks for the Red Devils.

The Turkish international started the 2025/26 season as Manchester United’s first-choice shot-stopper. However, after conceding 11 goals and keeping no clean sheets in six Premier League outings, Bayindir has become the backup goalkeeper, with Senne Lammens usurping him in the pecking order. Nevertheless, his stock remains high, with Besiktas keen on signing him in the winter transfer window.

Will Bayindir return to Turkiye?

Besiktas’s interest in Altay Bayindir makes sense. The Black Eagles are scouring the market for a goalkeeper heading into the winter transfer window, as Sergen Yalcin wants a top-class shot-stopper between the sticks, particularly after selling Mert Gunok to Fenerbahce.

Bayindir has thus emerged on the underperforming Turkish Super Lig club’s radar, with the Black Eagles identifying him as their top target for the winter transfer window after encountering “complications in their bid to prise Illan Meslier from Leeds United” in the final days of the winter transfer window.

While Besiktas held talks to sign Meslier from Leeds United in the last few days, a late deal is unlikely to materialise. However, Bayindir will not join the Turkish Super Lig club from Manchester United, as the Red Devils “are not in a position to let him leave” this month. The Premier League giants have informed Besiktas that the 27-year-old goalkeeper will not be available for a deal. So, they must look elsewhere for a new shot-stopper.