From Onana to Bayindir, Türkiye's Obsession with Premier League Goalkeepers

Big news emerged ahead of the closing of the transfer window for the Turkish Super League on Friday (6/2/2026). The Turkish giant club, Besiktas, is interested in acquiring two English Premier League goalkeepers, Altay Bayindir and Illan Meslier. Besiktas's interest underscores the phenomenon of admiration among Turkish League contestants for goalkeepers who are alumni of the English League.

Bayindir is currently struggling to secure playing time at Manchester United following the arrival of Senne Lammens. The Turkish passport-holding goalkeeper was initially a choice for MU at the beginning of the season.

However, his performance was less convincing, conceding 11 goals in six matches. Lammens did not take long to adapt, quickly becoming the first choice of Ruben Amorim, who was still the coach of MU at that time.

Amid the challenges of securing playing time, an offer to revive his career has come from Besiktas. The giant club, which currently occupies the fifth position in the temporary standings of the Turkish Super League, is in need of a new goalkeeper to compete for a spot in the top four.

According to a report from Talksport, Besiktas considers Bayindir to be the goalkeeper they need for the remainder of the season. Besides Bayindir, Meslier, currently playing for Leeds United, is also on Besiktas' radar.

"Both goalkeepers have had very limited playing time this season. The Turkish giants could offer them a way out," Talksport wrote in their report.

Regular appearances are a luxury for a player ahead of the World Cup. They need a competitive atmosphere to maintain their performance, ensuring their chances of being called up to the national team remain intact.

However, Bayindir is reported to be not very interested in the interest from Besiktas. The 27-year-old goalkeeper seems to still intend to continue his adventure in the English League after joining MU in 2023.

Bayindir previously competed for four years in the Turkish Super League with Fenerbahce. He recorded a total of 145 appearances with the club, indicating that his experience in the Turkish League is quite substantial.

However, Bayindir is still eager for experience in top European competitions. Returning to his home country would only diminish his opportunities to savor the valuable experience of competing in the English League, which is among the best in the world.

Instead of returning to Turkey, trying a new challenge at another English Premier League club, or competing for a position with Lammens remains the most realistic option in Bayindir's mind. If Bayindir's transfer ultimately occurs, it means that veteran MU goalkeeper Tom Heaton must be prepared to serve as Lammens' backup.

Similarly to Bayindir, Meslier is also reported to be uninterested in the interest from Besiktas. The offer to play in the Turkish League remains insufficiently enticing, even though Meslier has yet to appear for Leeds in any competition this season due to several blunders at the end of last season.

Meslier's decision to remain in England was also influenced by the statement of Leeds Coach Daniel Farke, who has no intention of changing his goalkeeper lineup. Although no longer the first choice, Farke has opened the opportunity for Meslier to play if Lucas Perri is absent.

"I have a great appreciation for him (Meslier) and I think he is a goalkeeper full of potential. At such a young age, he has already recorded so many matches at the Championship and Premier League levels, which is truly remarkable," said Farke.

Bayindir and Meslier are not the first experiences of the Turkish League's attempts to recruit goalkeepers from the English League. Previously, Andre Onana and Ederson had already joined earlier.

Onana is no longer needed by MU since Lammens arrived. The Cameroonian goalkeeper was allowed to leave at the beginning of the season, with only the Turkish and Saudi Arabian leagues still having open player transfer windows.

Onana ultimately chose Trabszonspor, who currently sit third in the Turkish League standings. Having made 16 appearances in the Turkish League, Onana has kept three clean sheets.

Ederson decided to move to Turkey after being excluded from Pep Guardiola's plans at Manchester City. Ederson transferred to one of the rival clubs, Trabzonspor, Fenerbahce, which is currently in a tight competition for the top of the standings with Galatasaray.

The phenomenon of Turkish League clubs' interest in goalkeepers who are alumni of the English League can be explained by their intense competition. Trabzonspor, Fenerbahce, and Galatasaray have been able to consistently remain in the top three after recruiting top goalkeepers.

If Trabzonspor brings in Onana and Fenerbahce recruits Ederson, Galatasaray has already secured the services of Ugurcan Cakir, who is currently the number one goalkeeper in Turkey.

Cakir is currently performing brilliantly, recording up to seven clean sheets. He is one level below Goztepe's goalkeeper, Mateusz Liz, who has achieved 11 clean sheets.

Turkish clubs believe that success in the league can begin with the recruitment of great goalkeepers. It is not surprising that Besiktas, which is still striving to break into the top four, is very ambitious in securing the services of Bayindir or Meslier.