Andrre Onana's injury at the pre -season period of 2025/26 made MU face the problem is not simple: whether they should urgently recruit a new goalkeeper, or give the opportunity to Altay Bayindir?
In theory, the addition of an experienced goalkeeper can help MU feel secure about the position of holding the goal in the absence of the weeka weeks. However, this can also be a hasty and unsustainable country in the current situation of the Old Trafford team.
Altay Bayindir is not the world's leading goalkeeper. But the goalkeeper 10 caps with Türkiye's team still has reliable expertise. Last season, Bayindir only played 10 times in all competitions with insignificant marks. However, that does not mean Bayindir cannot play “fire” in urgent situations.
Six weeks onana absent will be an ideal occasion for MU to test the true ability of Bayindir. In the context that MU needs to save the transfer budget to put force on important positions such as defensive midfielder or winged striker, finding another goalkeeper both wastes resources and causes clogged personnel. Each position needs a strategic calculation, and it is clear that MU's goal is not on the investment priority list now.
Historical lesson shows that MU once owns reserve goalkeepers capable of taking responsibility when necessary. Sergio Romero is a typical example – from a second option that has become an important factor in the 2016/17 Europa League championship journey. Earlier, Raimond van der Gouw was trusted by Sir Alex Ferguson every time Peter Schmeichel could not play. The names like Roy Carroll, Anders Lindegaard or Ben Foster have experienced the period of the short -term main capture without causing the team to collapse.
The common point of the goalkeepers is the spirit of ready, stability and the ability to integrate in the inherent competition system. Bayindir converges many similar elements: ideal bodybuilding, decent reflexes, international competition experience, and especially determination to prove the value in the red shirt. The use of Turkish goalkeeper in the US tour and the first few matches of the season is not risky, but a reasonable step to assess the capacity and plan the next plan.
A temporary contract in the goalkeeper position, if not integrated well, will only spend room and salary. A quality contract, if playing well, put MU into a dilemma when forced to handle the future of all three goalkeepers.
Bayindir, although it is not an ideal plan, it is completely enough to use in a short -term period. If playing well, MU can retain the 27 -year -old goalkeeper as a long -term rotation plan. If not, they still have time to find a plan to strengthen in January next year without passive.
In other words, buying more goalkeepers now is an expensive solution for an urgent problem. Meanwhile, giving the opportunity for Bayindir to reflect is a reasonable choice, less risk and potential value.
In football, not always fast action is also a good reaction. Sometimes, patiently opens more sustainable options – what MU needs to remember in the current reconstruction journey.
