The World Cup break is just around the corner, and Maccabi Haifa can concentrate entirely on the league, after finishing its European season. After the defeat to Benfica Lisbon in the last game within the Champions League, coach Barak Becher said that the team intends to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.
The long injuries of Sof Podgrano and Mahmoud Jaber shortened the rotation of Maccabi Haifa. In Carmel, they tried to add Goni Naor right up until the end of the registration of the players for the Champions League, but they did not reach an agreement with Hapoel Jerusalem. Naor ends his contract at the end of the season and is already allowed to sign with another team in January, in Haifa they are interested in seeing him wear green and the player himself is interested in joining. If it doesn’t happen in January, it will happen in the summer.
The link position is currently the shortest. It is not known when Jaber will return to the courts and the three midfielders – Neta Lavi, Muhammad Abu Fani and Ali Muhammad are in danger of leaving. The first ends his contract at the end of the season, while the other two may receive offers in light of their ability in the European campaign.
Maccabi Haifa will try to get its hands on the senior Israelis. If Eyal Segal’s demand for Eden Karatsev drops, he may be relevant, as well as Mohamed Kanaan. Maccabi Haifa’s transfer record stands at 1.6 million euros (Prentadzi Piero) and it doesn’t seem like they will break it for an Israeli player, no matter how good he is.
The Greens are interested not only in a back midfielder, but also in a playmaker midfielder. The Israeli options are not many. Dia Saba and Omari Altman may be considered, due to the fact that they play a variety of roles in the attack. In addition, the Greens will try to add an Israeli striker, with the prominent names being Thai Bribo, a striker of the Austrian Wolfsberger, and Itamar Shabiru from Meironi KSH.
Bribo is in great shape, he scored 13 goals this season and added four assists in all competitions. His contract ends at the end of the season, but his team has an option. Before moving to Austria, there was an attempt by Maccabi Haifa to sign him. The Itamar Shabiru deal is not simple, as Izzy Sheretzky punched a price tag of 1.5 million euros. The same amount Maccabi Haifa will not pay when it has Piero and Din David.
Another name previously linked to Maccabi Haifa is Osher Davide, but in the meantime he managed to be sold for 1.6 million euros to Standard Liège. He is being monitored at the club. In addition, the club’s scouting team has prepared alternatives in case players leave for Europe after the champions campaign.
In such a case, the citizenship of the Swedish defender Daniel Sondgren is of great importance, since the Greens will be able to add another foreigner and not rely only on the Israeli market. If this happens, a foreign contact will land in Carmel. There are also players who may leave the greens. Maor Levy, who wanted to go out on loan in the past, may get the approval if a player in his position arrives.
In a certain situation Ben Shaher, Ofri Arad and Vinon Eliyahu may also ask to leave in order to get playing minutes. Shahar has not been included in the squad so far this season, while the other two rarely play. Haifa will not stand in the way of any player who asks to leave.
