Al Hilal has reached an agreement with Sevilla to sign Yassine Bono on a €19m fixed fee plus add-ons up to €21m package. The deal is expected to be finalized after personal terms are discussed on a three-year deal.
Bayern Munich had reportedly shown interest in Bono, but they turned their attention elsewhere after being rejected by Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has recently joined Real Madrid. Bayern intend to find a replacement for Manuel Neuer, who is yet to recover from an injury that hinders his goalkeeping abilities.
Bono, the Moroccan Shot-Stopper
Moroccan goalkeeper Bono (born Yassine Bounou) has been with Sevilla since 2019. The 32-year-old's deal runs until the summer of 2025 and includes a €50 million buyout.
Canadian-born Bono, whose parents emigrated to Morocco, signed a loan deal with Sevilla in 2019 before making the transfer permanent for €4 million the following year. He has made 96 appearances for the Spanish club, during which time he has kept 37 clean sheets and scored once. In 2020 and 2023, he led Sevilla to victory in the UEFA Europa League.
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Yassine Bono scores for Sevilla. | Credit: CNN | Source: Google[/caption]
The keeper is currently concentrating on tonight's (16 August) UEFA Super Cup final against Manchester City. After the match, he will join Al Hilal, pending the completion of personal terms and a successful medical.
Bono's Impact on Al Hilal
Al Hilal have been striving to improve its goalkeeping; thus, the addition of Bono is a big deal. The Moroccan goalie is a rising star who made a lasting impact at the FIFA World Cup and has become one of the most prized assets of Morocco's historic run in the 2022 tournament.
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Bono made a name for himself at the FIFA 2022 World Cup tournament. | Credit: FIFA.com | Source: Google[/caption]
Several foreign players, notably Khaledou Koulibaly from Chelsea, Sergej Milinkovi-Savi from Lazio, Robin Neves from Wolves, and Malcolm from Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg, have already been signed by the team. On his first game with Al-Hilal, Malcom scored a hat trick in a 3-1 victory over Abha on August 15, 2023.
The team will also be welcoming the arrival of former PSG star, Neymar.
Al Hilal are ecstatic to have signed Bono, who will bring quality and experience to their goalkeeping unit. Competing with Mohammed Al-Owais and Habib Al-Wutaian, he hopes to earn a starting spot. He will also be reunited with Munir El Haddadi, a colleague of his from his time at Sevilla who signed for Al Hilal in January 2023.
Bono has expressed his gratitude to Sevilla for allowing him to play at the top level in Europe, and he is looking forward to joining Al Hilal. According to him, he decided to sign with Al Nassr after consulting with Cristhian Stuani, a friend and former teammate of his from Girona.
“I am very happy to join Al Hilal, it is a great challenge for me,” Bono said. “Al Hilal are a huge club with a great history and a great fan base. I want to help them achieve their goals and win trophies.”
“I want to thank Sevilla for everything they have done for me. They gave me the chance to play in the best league in the world and win two Europa Leagues. I will always have a special place in my heart for them.”
“I also want to thank Stuani for his advice and support. He is a good friend and a great player. He told me that Saudi Arabia is a beautiful country and that Al Hilal is a fantastic club. I hope I can play against him soon.”
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