Man Utd Include Special Clause in Deal to Help Unwanted Player Leave the Club
Manchester United has agreed to a special deal to let goalkeeper Altay Bayindir leave the club. The Turkish international will spend the 2026/27 season on loan at Celta Vigo after signing a season-long loan earlier this month.
Bayindir was no longer needed by Michael Carrick after the club signed veteran goalkeeper Karl Darlow on a free transfer. It’s very likely that Bayindir has played his last game for United. The loan deal with Celta includes an option to buy for £3.5 million. Bayindir is in the final year of his contract with United, although the club can extend it for another year if needed.
Last season, the 28-year-old started as United’s number one goalkeeper under Ruben Amorim, replacing Andre Onana. However, it was expected that United would sign a new goalkeeper. Bayindir lost his spot to Senne Lammens after a 3-1 loss to Sunderland in September and couldn’t get it back.
With Lammens, Darlow, and Tom Heaton as United’s main goalkeepers, Bayindir was free to move to Spain. Celta Vigo introduced him as their new player earlier this week. Their director of football, Marco Garces, revealed there is a special clause in the deal with United.
According to Spanish news outlet Faro de Vigo (via Sport Witness), the loan fee Celta pays United depends on how much Bayindir plays. The more he plays, the cheaper the loan becomes. Garces said, “If there is a loan payment, it is reduced based on how much he plays. We also have a purchase option, and United covers part of his wages.”
This clause suggests that United would prefer not to extend Bayindir’s contract by another year and hope the move to Celta works out well for everyone. Bayindir may face tough competition for the number one spot, as Ionut Radu, Celta’s current goalkeeper, kept 10 clean sheets in 38 La Liga games last season.
Celta finished sixth in La Liga and qualified for the Europa League, so they might rotate their goalkeepers with extra games coming up. Similarly, United missed out on European football last season but qualified for the Champions League under Carrick.
This deal helps United save some money on Bayindir’s wages while they strengthen their squad in other areas before the European campaign. They’ve already signed midfielders Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Marcus Rashford is also back after his loan at Barcelona.
Carrick said the club still wants to sign more players, with a new left-back being a top priority. “We want more, we need more,” Carrick told reporters. “We keep looking at how we can do that. So it never stops. We’re aware of that and have to keep pushing.”