Israeli Soccer Player's Transfer to Sevilla Scrapped Due to Pro-Palestinian Backlash

Israeli footballer Tai Abed's potential transfer to Spanish club Sevilla was called off due to a pro-Palestinian backlash on social media, according to his father, Kobi Abed. Abed, who was on loan from Levante, officially joined Real Valladolid on loan from Levante on Tuesday. His father revealed that Sevilla had been a strong contender, with financial terms agreed upon. However, negotiations faltered over clauses related to Abed's playing time and a potential early recall by Levante.

Kobi Abed explained that public reactions on social media, including pro-Palestinian comments, made the family reconsider the move. "We saw some reactions on social media that made us take a step back," he stated. "Because to put Tai in a situation where the crowd doesn't want him to come and pro-Palestinian reactions caused us to take a step back and think twice if we want this." The family received messages on Instagram, and Sevilla fans allegedly harassed them and threatened them on Levante's website, creating a negative atmosphere. This contrasted with their positive experience in the previous year at Levante, where they felt embraced by the fans.

Instead, Tai Abed joined Real Valladolid, a club that had been tracking him for two years. His father noted that Valladolid expressed strong interest and assured the family that Abed would be a key player with guaranteed playing time, a clause that was insisted upon in the contract. Valladolid is currently in the second division and aiming for promotion.

Kobi Abed emphasized that financial considerations were secondary to his son's need for playing time and development. He also mentioned positive interactions with Valladolid's coach, Fran Escrivá, and other club officials, who made the family feel welcome and confident in their decision. Tai Abed has been playing abroad for five years, and his family has been supportive throughout his career.