Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal announced on Thursday that they have secured the services of Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou for a three-year contract, inking the deal after his stint with Spanish side Sevilla. Al-Hilal used the messaging platform X, formerly recognized as Twitter, to proclaim, “We now have the Atlantic lion guarding our goalpost.”
While the exact details of the agreement remain undisclosed, Spanish media reports suggest that Sevilla will receive a compensation of 21 million euros ($22.8 million). Furthermore, Al-Hilal unveiled that the deal received sponsorship from their honorary President, HRH Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
By bringing Bounou onboard, Al-Hilal seeks to bolster their goalkeeping squad and enhance their performance on the field. Bounou’s move from Sevilla to Al-Hilal marks a fresh chapter in his career, with the support of HRH Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal playing a pivotal role. This underscores the club’s dedication to maintaining high standards of excellence.
“Increasing International Ties”
The transfer underscores the increasing international ties within the football world and serves as a testament to Al-Hilal’s proactive strategy in fortifying their roster. With Bounou’s skill set and wealth of experience, the Saudi Pro League can anticipate intensified competition and a heightened level of play in the upcoming matches.
Aged 32, Yassine Bounou , commonly referred to as Bono, had been Sevilla’s primary goalkeeper, contributing significantly to the team’s capture of two Europa League titles and Morocco’s advancement to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar last year.
Notably, Bono had reportedly garnered interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as a temporary solution to fill in for the injured Thibaut Courtois and Manuel Neuer. Al-Hilal, the most triumphant club in both Saudi Arabia and Asia, boasts an impressive collection of 66 trophies, including 18 domestic league championships and four Asian Champions League triumphs.
In a noteworthy turn of events this week, Al-Hilal secured the services of Brazilian striker Neymar from Paris St Germain. The club also renewed its collaboration with Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus under a one-year contract. Additionally, they secured former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Ruben Neves, Serbia’s Sergei Milinkovic-Savic, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, and Brazilian striker Malcom.
With a fixture against Al-Feiha on the horizon in the Saudi Pro League’s next round, Al-Hilal is poised to showcase their strengthened lineup on Saturday.
