Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth are among the clubs pursuing the transfer of AS Monaco goalkeeper Yannis Benchouch.
The 19-year-old joined Monaco's academy on a free transfer in July 2021 after a stint with Trelissac FC Jugend.
He was initially part of the Monaco U17 side and, a year later, joined their U19 team. Since 2023, the stopper has been representing Monaco U21, but is yet to make his first-team debut.
Despite this, he has attracted the attention of Aston Villa, Bournemouth and other clubs.
Two months ago, Sports Witness broadcast news That Andoni Ierola's side failed to sign him in the winter market. The Cherries are not giving up and face a battle with the Villans.
Last year, Benchouch performed brilliantly for Morocco at the U20 AFCON as they lost to South Africa in the final in May. He impressed again at the U20 World Cup, a tournament which they won by defeating Argentina in the final.
The stopper's development saw him make his debut for Morocco U23s in the last international break.
Aston Villa and Bournemouth keen
Africa Foot Now there is a report giving the latest from Unai Emery on the transfer interest of AFC Bournemouth and other clubs in Yannis Benchouche.
The AS Monaco youngster faces a 'fierce fight' as his contract expires in June and he has refused to sign an extension.
After showing interest, Aston Villa made concrete transfer action to bring him to Villa Park in the summer.
The Villains have submitted an official offer that includes a five-year contract worth €850k per year.
Emery's side are also offering a substantial sell-on percentage to the Ligue 1 side. This is a 'goodwill gesture' to prevent any possible legal dispute over the training fees and to conclude the deal 'amicably'.
This was probably done to get ahead of competition from Bournemouth, Al-Gharafa SC and other clubs.
The Cherries could return with a new offer after a failed attempt in January while the Qatari side try to lure Morocco. Modena, Inter Milan, Monza and unnamed clubs from Spain, Belgium, France and the Netherlands are also interested.
Our opinion: Aston Villa could have the transfer edge
It seems that Yannis Benchouche is well aware that several clubs are chasing him, including Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth.
At the moment, he is in no rush and wants to make a final decision at the end of the season after evaluating all the options. The stopper wants to prioritize the sporting aspect.
This means Aston Villa will have to show him a path to the first team over the next few years, possibly with cup appearances along the way. Given that Villa is likely to change the goalkeeper position, they could sell a project.
🇩🇪 Kosta Nedeljkovic | 'Bitter turn of events' as player returns to Aston Villahttps://t.co/boS56uL7pN #avfc
- Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 2 April 2026
