Barcelona could enter the market for a goalkeeper in the summer transfer window, with Yassine Bounou reportedly one of their options.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Yassine Bounou is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The 30-year-old Sevilla goalkeeper is one of five options on the Blaugrana’s radar to replace Neto ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Yassine Bounou spent most of his senior-level club footballing career as a journeyman, playing for Wydad Casablanca, Atletico Madrid, Real Zaragoza and Girona without ever establishing a foothold as a regular. But it was after joining Sevilla on an initial loan deal ahead of the 2019/20 season that he finally enjoyed a much-needed turnaround in fortunes.
After playing a pivotal role in Sevilla’s UEFA Europa League triumph, Sevilla signed Bono on a permanent deal in September 2020. The 30-year-old has since established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper for the Andalusian club, making 24 appearances across all competitions this term while keeping 12 clean sheets in the process.
Bono’s progress in the last two and a half years has not gone unnoticed, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe setting sights on him. And one of the Moroccan international’s prospective suitors could be FC Barcelona.
Barcelona will likely need to invest in a goalkeeper in the summer transfer window because Neto is unsettled at Camp Nou after failing to secure regular game-time during his ongoing stint with the club. The Brazilian shot-stopper will seek a summer departure from Barcelona to become a first-choice goalkeeper elsewhere.
While Inaki Pena is one for the future, he could benefit from another loan spell after returning from his current stint with Galatasaray. The Catalan giants have zeroed in on five goalkeepers to pursue in the summer transfer window, with Bono one of those on their radar.
Apart from the 30-year-old, Bartlomiej Dragowski, Alban Lafont, Maarten Vandevoordt, and Illan Meslier are also on Barcelona’s wishlist. But it will be surprising if Bono opts to leave a La Liga title challenger like Sevilla to join Barcelona, becoming a backup option in the process. Neto’s example is not one to follow, especially with Marc-Andre ter Stegen the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for Barcelona.
