Maccabi Netanya Pursues Brazilian Defender Sidney Lima Amid Negotiation Challenges

Maccabi Netanya is actively seeking to strengthen its defense by signing a foreign center-back, with Brazilian player Sidney Lima emerging as a leading candidate. Lima, 29, currently captains Santa Clara in Portugal's top league, where he has played since the summer of 2023. Standing 1.85 meters tall, he holds a contract with Santa Clara until 2027, with an option for a two-year extension. Since helping Santa Clara secure promotion at the end of the 2023/24 season, Lima has made 65 appearances in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, scoring four goals and providing one assist.

Despite advanced talks between Netanya and Lima's representatives, negotiations have encountered difficulties that threaten to derail the transfer. The Israeli Premier League club is eager to finalize the deal following a summer of significant roster changes and a goalless home draw against Bnei Sakhnin in their season opener. The club continues to pursue the signing to bolster its defensive lineup amid ongoing challenges in the transfer process.