Manchester United sign Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Biyindir: Decoding his stats
Manchester United have roped in Fenerbahce custodian Altay Bayindir for £4.3m. The young Turkish goalkeeper will join the club as a replacement for Dean Henderson. Bayindir will fight for the second spot with Tom Heaton, who is currently down with an ankle injury. The 25-year-old goalkeeper will be the fourth major signing of this summer for the Red Devils. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Erik ten Hag desperately needed a backup option for Andre Onana. With Henderson finally getting the green light to leave the club permanently, the Dutch tactician is out of options on the bench. Veteran custodian Heaton is a decent choice and brings experience. Therefore Ten Hag decided to make the swoop for the Turkish goalkeeper.
A look at Bayindir's career stats
Bayindir started his football career in Bursaspor's youth academy. He also featured in the youth teams of Arabayatagi and Ankaragucu before joining the latter's senior team. The goalkeeper featured in 31 matches for Ankaragucu and kept 10 clean sheets. Bayindir took a big step in his career in 2019 by joining Fenerbahce. Since then, he has played 146 matches for the club.
Breaking down Bayindir's numbers in the 2022-23 Turkish Super Lig
Bayindir featured in 26 appearances in the 2022-23 Super Lig. He conceded 31 goals but also kept nine clean sheets for Fenerbahce. As per Opta, he completed 479 out of 695 attempted passes, clocking 68.92% passing accuracy. He made 59 saves last season with a save percentage of 65.56 while saving three out of the five penalties that he faced last season.
A look at his stats for Fenerbahce
Bayindir featured in 146 matches for Fenerbahce and kept 44 clean sheets. He featured in 127 Super Lig matches, keeping 34 clean sheets. The custodian made six appearances in the Turkish Cup (2 CS). Bayindir has been decent in the continental tournaments. He kept three clean sheets in 11 Europa League games. The 25-year-old custodian featured in three Champions League qualifiers.
What does he bring to United?
Bayindir has suffered some injuries in recent times which has seen his stocks go down. However, he is an impressive shot-stopper and his big frame of 6'6 allows him to dominate the penalty area. He has razor-sharp reflexes and is good in spot-kicks. Bayindir can also sweep if needed and is pretty agile off his lines. But his passing needs improvement.
Five appearances for Turkey!
The 25-year-old custodian has featured in five international matches for Turkey. Bayindir made his international debut in May 2021 in a friendly against Azerbaijan. Since then, he has been in and out of the Turkish national team.
