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Moroccan international Yassine Bounou is close to signing a new contract with Al-Hilal, according to multiple Saudi media outlets.
The 34-year-old goalkeeper, who joined the Riyadh-based side from Sevilla in the summer of 2023 for €21 million, is said to be content with life in Saudi Arabia and eager to stay. Talks are reportedly at an advanced stage, with a two-year extension on the table, including new bonuses and improved terms.
Bounou’s agent has informed club officials of the player’s desire to remain in the Kingdom, with a final meeting expected in the coming days to seal the deal.
Since arriving from La Liga, Bounou has featured in 92 matches for the Saudi Pro League champions, keeping 36 clean sheets and conceding 85 goals. His composure and leadership have made him a key figure in the dressing room.
He delivered a standout performance at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where Al-Hilal shocked Manchester City 4–3 in a dramatic encounter to reach the quarter-finals.
The Moroccan international made 10 saves against the Cityzens, equalling the most saves ever recorded in a single Club World Cup match.
According to OneFootball, “Bounou was a brick wall,” frustrating City’s star-studded frontline with “a monster save after another”. One of the most memorable came in the 25th minute when he denied Savinho in a one-on-one, despite being on the ground — a stop described by TalkSport as “miraculous”.
The New York Post called Bounou “the key factor” behind one of the “biggest shocks in Club World Cup history”, while Reuters wrote that he “kept City at bay with a string of top-class saves” as the Saudi outfit defied the odds.
In total, Bounou registered 23 saves across the tournament — the highest of any goalkeeper — and was named in DAZN’s Team of the Tournament alongside top performers from Real Madrid, Fluminense, and León.
Foot Africa reported that Bounou’s save rate exceeded 80%, and football analytics site Sofascore awarded him an average rating of 7.84, the highest among all goalkeepers in the competition.
The 34-year-old also made headlines for his heroics in earlier matches, including a decisive penalty save against Real Madrid and clean sheets against Pachuca and Salzburg.
Al-Hilal’s fairytale run eventually ended in the semi-finals, but Bounou’s performances drew international praise. Spanish outlet Relevo concluded: “Bounou’s display against Manchester City will be remembered as one of the finest goalkeeping performances in Club World Cup history.”
Following that triumph, rumours swirled that Bounou had received extravagant gifts — including $2 million in cash, a luxury car, and a villa — reportedly from Saudi adviser Turki Al Sheikh.
However, a source quoted by Moroccan outlet Ralia has flatly denied the claims, calling them “entirely false.”
“Yassine Bounou did not receive any reward from Turki Al Sheikh – neither money nor material gifts,” the source said. “All such claims are unfounded.”
What has been confirmed is that Al-Hilal awarded an official team bonus of six million Moroccan dirhams (approximately $600,000) to Bounou and his teammates following their win over the European champions. This remains the only verified reward.
Since joining the club in August 2023, Bounou has become one of the standout performers in the Saudi Pro League. His heroics in the Club World Cup added another chapter to a glittering career that includes a UEFA Europa League title and a historic World Cup semi-final run with Morocco in Qatar.
