Yassine Bounou: Yachine Trophy Nominee & Hilal Goalie Opens Up on How His Real Madrid Deal Collapsed

• Yassine Bounou has opened up on how his deal with Real Madrid fell through
• The former Sevilla goalkeeper was among the goalkeepers considered by Madrid to replace the injured Thibaut Courtois
• He eventually joined Saudi side Al-Hilal on a lucrative three-year contract

Yassine 'Bono' Bounou has disclosed the reasons behind the collapse of his intended transfer to Real Madrid.

The former Sevilla goalkeeper, who ultimately signed with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League this summer, had been the primary choice for Madrid after Thibaut Courtois suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Thibaut Courtois's long-term injury forced Madrid onto the market, with Bounou and a host of other goalkeepers appearing on their radar.

Bounou revealed that his commitment to participating in the upcoming African Cup of Nations played a pivotal role in the deal falling through.

"Never give up": Ronaldo's beautiful message after AFC Champions League qualification

Football

Consequently, Real Madrid abandoned their pursuit of the Moroccan goalkeeper and opted to bring in Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea.

Reflecting on his botched deal with the current league leaders in La Liga, Bono told Canal Sur (via Relevo):

“I was the first option,” ‘Bono’ began.

“That’s what I understand. Later, the board of directors analysed the whole situation, and they saw that I could go to the African Cup and miss a lot of games in an important month for Madrid… and it couldn’t be.

"In addition, they had other options in the form of a loan that suited them better.”

During his time at Sevilla, the 32-year-old goalkeeper played a crucial role in the club's victory in two Europa League competitions and also helped Morocco reach the semi-finals of the last World Cup in Qatar.

Since his arrival at Hilal, Bono has featured in three matches, preserving two shutouts as the Blue Waves dethroned Al-Ittihad from the top spot in the Saudi top flight.

Al-Ittihad manager wants Karim Benzema out, says he 'doesn't suit his style'

Football

Furthermore, his outstanding performance in the year under consideration has earned him a nomination for the prestigious Yachine Trophy, which is the goalkeeper's equivalent of the Ballon d'Or award.

Yassine Bounou joins Al-Hilal

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine 'Bono' Bounou has finalized his transfer to the Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Hilal from the Spanish club Sevilla during the summer transfer window.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup standout has inked a three-year contract to join the Gulf team following a successful stint in Spain.

Bono's final outing for Sevilla took place in the European Super Cup final, a match that saw the Europa League champions fall to Manchester City in a penalty shootout.