Reports: "River Plate" in talks with Bounou

Argentine club River Plate has begun efforts to explore the possibility of signing Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, currently with Saudi club Al Hilal, should their young keeper Santiago Beltrán leave in the near future.

Argentine media reports, including the website "mejorinformado," confirmed that River Plate management has reached out to Bounou's camp to understand his situation at Al Hilal and to discuss potential transfer conditions to the Argentine club, given their desire to acquire an experienced goalkeeper.

River Plate considers Bounou one of the top options if Beltrán decides to leave the team at the end of the year, after he has become one of the club's most significant discoveries in 2026.

Beltrán earned a chance to play with the first team following an injury to veteran keeper Franco Armani, and he gained the trust of the coaching staff to become the starting goalkeeper, also benefiting from the departure of Jeremías Ledesma to Rosario Central.

The young keeper's performances have attracted the attention of several European clubs, while River Plate aims to extend his contract and set a buyout clause of $100 million, in anticipation of any attempts to sign him from abroad.

Yassine Bounou has a special relationship with River Plate, having expressed his desire to wear the Argentine club's jersey on multiple occasions.

Bounou has been linked to the club for years, dating back to his time at Sevilla in Spain, where he showed support for River Plate; he even traveled to Japan in 2015 to follow the Argentine team during their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, when Marcelo Gallardo was their coach.

Despite being under contract with Al Hilal until mid-2028, River Plate management has reportedly begun exploring the possibility of reaching an agreement that would allow him to move to the Argentine capital. However, financial considerations may pose the biggest obstacle in this deal, as the Moroccan keeper earns an annual salary exceeding €10 million with Al Hilal, a figure that River Plate may struggle to afford.

Therefore, Bounou's transfer to River Plate depends on several factors, including Beltrán's future with the club, Al Hilal's stance on releasing their Moroccan keeper, and the potential to reach a financial arrangement that suits all parties.