Done Deal: Celtic agrees personal terms with player, FINAL documents to be concluded soon

Celtic FC is reportedly in transfer talks to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır. The 26-year-old Turkey international has been linked with a move to the Scottish champions, who are seeking a long-term successor to 38-year-old Kasper Schmeichel. Schmeichel, who has been an integral part of Celtic’s success in recent years, is approaching the latter stages of his career, and Brendan Rodgers is keen to identify a suitable replacement.

Bayındır joined Manchester United from Fenerbahce in the 2023 summer window, but his time at Old Trafford has been marked by limited opportunities. Despite his undoubted talent, the Turkish goalkeeper has made only four appearances for the English side, leading to speculation about his future.

Celtic’s interest in Bayındır is believed to be driven by Rodgers’ desire to strengthen his squad with a top-class goalkeeper. The Scottish champions have been impressive in the Scottish Premiership this season, but Rodgers is aware that a strong goalkeeper is essential for any team with ambitions of winning silverware.

However, Bayındır’s agent, Sefa Seyrek, has stated that the player wants to stay and play at Manchester United, contrary to reports suggesting a potential move to Celtic. Seyrek’s comments have cast doubt on the likelihood of Bayındır joining Celtic in the current transfer window.

“Certainly, there are clubs interested in Altay now, but Altay wants to stay and play at Manchester United,” Seyrek said. “The club definitely doesn’t want to let Altay go.”

The situation highlights the complexities and challenges involved in transfer negotiations, where the interests of the player, the selling club, and the buying club must be aligned. In this case, Celtic’s pursuit of Bayındır will depend on the player’s willingness to leave Manchester United and the clubs’ ability to agree on a transfer fee.

Bayındır’s contract with Manchester United runs until June 2027, which gives the English side a strong bargaining position. Celtic will likely need to offer a significant transfer fee to persuade Manchester United to sell, and even then, there are no guarantees that the player will agree to join the Scottish champions.

As the transfer window enters its final weeks, Celtic fans will be watching developments closely, hoping that Rodgers can pull off a major coup and bring Bayındır to Parkhead. However, with the player’s agent insisting that he wants to stay at Manchester United, it remains to be seen whether Celtic’s interest will come to fruition.