Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga have reached an agreement to sign Moroccan international goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch.
According to reports, Braga will pay $300,000 for 50% of the 23-year-old’s rights and have secured his services on a five-year deal running until 2030.
Bellaarouch, who emerged from the Mohammed VI Academy, is hoping to bounce back after a difficult season with French side Strasbourg, where a pubic bone inflammation restricted him to just three appearances for the reserve team.
This came after a promising 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign in which he made 19 appearances.
Braga view the Moroccan as a long-term replacement for veteran goalkeeper Matheus Magalhaes.
Head coach Carlos Carvalhal is expected to begin the season with Czech prospect Lukáš Horníček as the first-choice keeper, gradually integrating Bellaarouch into the fold.
The goalkeeping department will also feature experienced shot-stopper Tiago Sá, while Portugal U-21 international João Carvalho is likely to go out on loan to gain more playing time.
For Bellaarouch, the move presents an opportunity to relaunch his career in a competitive environment. For Braga, it represents a low-risk investment in a talented young player with significant upside.
