Israeli Football Clubs Profit Millions from Secondary Player Transfers

Israeli football clubs are increasingly benefiting financially from secondary transfers of players who left the Israeli Premier League years ago. This summer, clubs like Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv earned substantial sums from sell-on clauses and solidarity payments tied to former players’ moves abroad. For example, Maccabi Haifa received 3.6 million euros from the transfer of Anan Khalaily from Saint-Étienne to Crystal Palace, while Maccabi Tel Aviv earned around 1.2 million euros combined from sales of Daniel Peretz and Parfait Guiagon, both of whom played for the club in 2023.

Other clubs also profited: Maccabi Petah Tikva gained 180,000 euros from Manor Solomon’s transfers between London clubs, and Beitar Jerusalem earned 2.5 million euros from the second transfer of Livai Garcia. These payments come from FIFA-mandated solidarity fees and sell-on percentages, which reward clubs and academies that developed the players. For instance, Neve Yosef academy earned about 61,000 euros from Khalaily’s transfer.

This emerging market reflects a strategic shift in Israeli football, where clubs now sell young players early, before they reach their full potential, securing future financial returns through sell-on clauses. This approach has turned players like Khalaily into assets worth 10 million euros cumulatively, rather than their initial lower valuations. However, disagreements over sell-on percentages can delay transfers, as seen in Roy Revivo’s stalled move to Elche, where Maccabi Tel Aviv demands 20% while the Spanish club offers 5%.

The growing revenue from these secondary transfers is influencing Israeli clubs’ recruitment policies, enabling them to invest in promising young players who may generate future profits. Despite some risks, such as high transfer fees for players who do not make a significant impact, the strategy has so far paid off, with clubs like Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv collectively earning about 5 million euros this summer from players no longer active in their squads. The trend is expected to continue and expand in the coming years, with several players currently generating future sell-on percentages for their former clubs.