MADRID: Al-Hilal have signed Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou from Spanish side Sevilla on a three-year contract, the Saudi Pro League club said on Thursday.

“The Atlantic lion is our goalie,” Al-Hilal posted on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed but Spanish media reported Sevilla will receive 21 million euros ($22.8 million).

Al-Hilal said the deal was sponsored by its honorary president HRH Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.

Bounou, 32, was Sevilla’s first-choice goalkeeper, helping the Spanish team to win two Europa League titles and Morocco to reach last year’s World Cup semi-finals in Qatar.

Bounou, commonly known as Bono, was reportedly a target for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as a temporary stand-in for the injured Thibaut Courtois and Manuel Neuer.

The most successful club in Saudi Arabia and Asia, Al-Hilal have won 66 trophies including 18 domestic league titles and four Asian Champions League crowns.

Al-Hilal this week signed Brazilian striker Neymar from Paris St Germain.

The club reappointed Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus on a one-year deal and signed former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Ruben Neves, Serbia’s Sergei Milinkovic-Savic, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Brazilian striker Malcom.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023