Al-Hilal secures the transfer of goalkeeper Mathieu Patouillet from Olympique de Lyon
In a surprising turn of events, 21-year-old French goalkeeper Mathieu Patouillet has decided to leave his formative club, Olympique Lyonnais (OL), and join Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. The move, which is official, sees Patouillet sign a two-season deal with the Saudi Arabian club, with a reported transfer fee of €342,000.
Al-Hilal had been tracking Patouillet for a few days, and the move comes as they search for a replacement for Bono during the African Cup of Nations (CAN). Patouillet is expected to take Bono's place when the Moroccan is at the CAN.
Despite having a contract with Lyon, Patouillet has chosen to move to Al-Hilal. This is not his first move away from OL, as he had two successful loan seasons at Sochaux. It's worth noting that Dominik Greif and Rémy Descamps were his competition for the goalkeeper spot at Lyon.
Patouillet's decision to leave Lyon comes after he refused the club's extension offer. The agreement with Al-Hilal includes a 20% share of any future capital gain for OL.
The move of Patouillet to Al-Hilal is not the first time promising young players have moved to the Saudi Pro League. Several other young players, such as Nathan Zé, Saïmon Bouabré, or Valentin Atangana, have also made the move.
Patouillet, who won the Coupe Gambardella in 2022, is set to make his debut in the Saudi Pro League. With his youth, talent, and determination, Patouillet is expected to make a significant impact at Al-Hilal.
