Bayindir eager for Old Trafford chance

The goalkeeper became the first Turkish player to appear for the Reds when starting the 4-2 win against Newport County, en route to winning last season's Emirates FA Cup.

Altay has had to be patient for another opportunity but is desperate to show what he can do, on the back of representing his country at Euro 2024, and outlined his ambitions in an exclusive interview with United Review, the official programme for Tuesday's Carabao Cup tie against Barnsley.

With another home match, against FC Twente, to come next week in the Europa League, the 26-year-old may soon get an opportunity to keep goal at Old Trafford for the first time.

“I need to be ready always and I’m just waiting," he told United Review. "I’m just working hard and, if you are a football player, you don’t know when a chance can come to you. And you need to be ready.

"I’m working hard at the training ground and it’s just that I want to play. I need more of a chance to take. Of course, it’s important for a player and I can say, in football, you have to do different things in training and in a game. They are two different things. You can work hard and do everything on the training ground but you need to show yourself in the game.

"It’s more important because, if you will show yourself in the game, everyone can see it because, of course, you need to work hard and you need to show yourself on the training ground. But it’s two different things. Do you know what I mean? You need to show yourself in the game and on the pitch.

"I didn’t get a long time of chances last year, I was just playing one game. And it is not enough for my personality but, in life, anything can happen. You just need to be focused. You need to work hard and everything can change in this life.”

Altay is aware of the busy calendar facing the Reds in this next phase of the season, and 2024/25 overall, and clearly hopes for another chance soon.

"You need to be ready for every game because, in the year, we have a lot of games and it doesn’t matter what you did," he added. "You can play bad, it’s finished. You can play good, it’s also finished. Next step, next step, next step always. I’m thinking like this and I will work hard always.

"I will be ready and, if I will get a chance, if I will be in goal, I will show myself and I will do my best."

Certainly, the experience of being involved in a major tournament was something he was pleased to get under his belt but it has not changed the Turkey international's perspective.

When asked if it gave him the thirst to play in more big games, he replied: "No, I had this before. I was still there before in my life, like that.

"But everyone was happy. Everyone was saying congratulations, everyone enjoyed our games and, actually, we were playing in Germany and Germany has a lot of Turkish people living there. When we have been in the stadium, it feels like we are playing in our home. Like we are playing in Turkey, it was still like this, you know, because there are a lot of Turkish people in the stadium and they are supporting us.

"It felt like we were playing at home and, when we were going out from the hotel to the stadium, everyone was there. Everyone supporting you and you are feeling, from your inside, that energy is coming, you know? And when I was going home to my family and it was the first dinner together, everyone was saying ‘congratulations’. I think I can say, yes, it was good for us."