Israeli Football Clubs Profit Millions from Secondary Player Transfers and Solidarity Fees

Israeli football clubs are increasingly benefiting financially from secondary transfers of players who left the Premier League years ago. This summer, Maccabi Haifa earned 3.6 million euros from solidarity payments and resale percentages on the transfer of Anan Khalaily from Saint-Gilloise to Crystal Palace. Maccabi Tel Aviv also gained around 1.2 million euros from sales of Daniel Peretz and Parfait Guiagon, who last played for the club in 2023. Maccabi Petah Tikva received 180,000 euros from Manor Solomon's moves between two London clubs, seven years after he played at their stadium.

Other clubs have profited similarly, with Beitar Jerusalem making 2.5 million euros from Levi Garcia's second transfer. Many players sold this summer or in previous years could generate even larger future profits. A notable example is the ongoing negotiation over Roy Revivo's transfer to Elche, where Maccabi Tel Aviv demands 20% of any future sale, while the Spanish club offers 5%. Such percentages can translate into millions if the player’s value rises significantly.

This trend reflects a strategic shift in Israeli football, where clubs now sell young players before they fully realize their potential, betting on future resale profits. These deals usually involve percentages of the profit rather than the total transfer fee, ensuring Israeli clubs benefit only if the player is sold at a profit. Additionally, FIFA-mandated solidarity payments provide fixed fees to youth academies where players developed, further enriching smaller clubs like Neve Yosef and Maccabi Petah Tikva.

The growing income from these secondary markets influences club recruitment policies, enabling teams to invest in promising young players who can later be sold for profit. While some high-cost signings have not made a significant impact, the overall strategy has proven lucrative for clubs like Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which together earned about 5 million euros this summer from players no longer on their rosters. The trend is expected to continue and expand in the coming years, with several players currently tied to future sale percentages.

Key players with resale percentages include Said Abu Farhi and Wesley Petachi from Maccabi Tel Aviv, Lisb Issat and Georgi Yermakov from Maccabi Haifa, and Louizos Louizo from Hapoel Tel Aviv. This evolving market dynamic marks a new era in Israeli football economics, where secondary transfers and solidarity fees significantly boost club revenues without directly affecting team performance.