Blue Fortress: Bono and Savic Sign Through 2028, Pushing Al Hilal Toward a Historic Five-Year Core
27 October 2025
Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bono, the spine of Al Hilal, are nearing a historic milestone for the Saudi side as the club seals their contracts through 2028, aiming to build a long-term spine for the squad.
The club formally extended Bono, the international goalkeeper, and Savic, the Serbian midfielder, to continue with the Blue Wave until the summer of 2028, signaling a deliberate move to lock in core personnel for the foreseeable future.
On October 17, Al Hilal publicly confirmed Bono’s renewal via a club video posted on X, accompanied by a striking caption: “The Al Hilal goalmouth is secure until 2028.”
Less than ten days later, on October 26, the club announced Savic’s extension as well, underscoring the management’s desire to cement a stable tactical foundation for the seasons ahead.
A Historic Number on the Horizon
If the duo sees out their contracts through 2028, they will have spent five full seasons in the Al Hilal first team—a figure that would place them among the club’s most enduring foreign pillars, according to Saudi outlet Al Riyadhiya.
Throughout the club’s blue era, only Zambian defender Elijah Letana completed five consecutive seasons with Al Hilal, from 1995 to 2000, earning a revered place in the fans’ memories as one of the club’s standout foreign icons.
Letana, born December 5, 1970, brought a towering presence at 1.88 meters, anchoring the defense during a golden period for the side.
He joined Al Hilal in the summer of 1995 from the Zambian league and quickly proved his mettle, guiding the team to 11 titles across his spell—an all-time record for a foreign player at the club.
Letana’s honors included continental and domestic trophies: the AFC Champions League, Asian Club Championship, Asian Super Cup, Founder’s Cup, Saudi League titles (twice), the Crown Prince Cup, the Saudi Cup, and regional cups, cementing his legacy in the club’s history.
Not merely a steady presence, Letana also scored key goals—most notably against Al Shabab in the Arab Elite Cup in 1995—and captained Zambia in Africa Cup of Nations campaigns, collecting medals of silver and bronze.
Bono: The Blue’s Safe Lock
For his part, Yassine Bono arrived at Al Hilal in the summer of 2023 from Sevilla as part of a broader Saudi Pro League overhaul intensified by the Public Investment Fund’s stake in key clubs, including Al Hilal.
He quickly became a cornerstone of the Blue defense, leveraging leadership traits and consistent performances under pressure.
The Moroccan international, aged 30, has appeared 102 times across all competitions for Al Hilal, conceding 95 goals and keeping 40 clean sheets, according to Transfermarkt statistics.
His standout performance at the FIFA Club World Cup further solidified his reputation, topping the goalkeeper rankings with 23 saves, and earning top-tier recognition in additional metrics on SofaScore (8.18 rating, fifth-best overall in the tournament). Bono's 2023 Africa Goalkeeper of the Year award and initial inclusion in France Football’s Ballon d’Or watchlist underscored his rising global status as a transfer-era anomaly for the club.
Savic Writes a New Line in Al Hilal History
Meanwhile, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who joined from Lazio in 2023, evolved into a central engine for Al Hilal’s midfield, linking play with both the attack and the defense and contributing a varied goal set and creative output.
Savic has appeared 105 times for Al Hilal, scoring 31 goals and producing 27 assists, delivering 58 direct goal contributions overall—an impact reflected in the team’s continued competitive success.
In his first comments after extending, Savic said: “From day one here, I felt something different—the crowd, the club, the spirit. At Al Hilal, every step has purpose, every win tastes special, and we learn that ambition never stops.”
He added: “Staying here wasn’t hard—the glory isn’t left behind. It’s a deep bond between heart and mind.”
The club’s leadership appears to have cemented a philosophy of continuity and stability, with Bono and Savic now pillars of the current project. Since their arrival, the duo has helped the team claim five trophies to date: the Saudi Pro League, the King’s Cup, the Saudi Super Cup (twice), and the Riyadh season cup, reinforcing the long-term strategy’s early success.
