Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has officially joined Saudi club Al Hilal for three seasons until 2026 after leaving La Liga side Sevilla on a free transfer.
The club announced the news on Thursday night, explaining that its board of directors had completed the signing of the Moroccan World Cup hero.
The board of directors also expressed gratitude to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal for sponsoring the deal.
The club also shared several posts from the signing ceremony, which took place at the Four Seasons George V hotel in Paris, France.
Bounou shared pictures of the signing ceremony.
He now joins the top stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Neymar Jr. and others who have moved to the Saudi Arabian league in massive football transfers.
The Atlas Lion joined Al Hilal after several triumphs and a brilliant career in La Liga with Sevilla FC.
In 2022, he received the Zamora trophy as the best goalkeeper in the league, ahead of names such as Marc Andre ter Stegen and Thibault Courtois.
Sevilla’s Wednesday Super Cup game against Manchester City, which the English team won on penalties, was the last match in Bounou’s career with the Spanish club.
In a farewell post, Sevilla said in a post on Thursday, “You’ve always been an example both on and off the pitch, Yassine. Thank you and the very best of luck in the future.”
The club also shared a series of pictures of Bounou and his former Sevilla teammates following the Manchester City match.
With this transfer, Bounou has become another international football star to choose the Saudi league, following in the footsteps of Brazilian superstar Neymar.
Several news outlets suggested that Saudi Arabia is now eying a groundbreaking “wild card” entry into the UEFA Champions League.
Sources cited by Italian outlet Corriero dello Sport suggest that Saudi authorities are preparing to present a proposal to UEFA to grant the winners of the Saudi Pro League a chance at the Champions League starting with the 2024-25 season.
