Maccabi Haifa Signs Portuguese Winger Pedro Brazão on Three-Year Deal

Israeli football club Maccabi Haifa has officially announced the signing of 23-year-old Portuguese winger Pedro Brazão. Brazão has agreed to a three-season contract with an option for an additional year, bolstering the squad managed by Barak Bakhar. His arrival is intended to fill the void left by Manuel Benson, who is currently sidelined due to injury.

Brazão, who successfully completed his medical examinations upon arriving in Israel, expressed his excitement about joining what he called a "huge club." He stated, "This is a great step and a big challenge for me, and I hope to help the club achieve its goals and make our amazing fans happy." Professional director Lior Raphaelson welcomed Brazão, noting his talent and creativity in the forward positions, and expressed pleasure that Brazão chose Maccabi Haifa despite other offers.

The transfer fee for Brazão was reportedly settled at €700,000, a significant reduction from the initial €2 million demand by his former club, Turkish side Bodrum, at the beginning of the transfer window. The decrease in price is attributed to the closing of most European transfer windows, leading to greater flexibility from the Turkish club. Brazão's personal terms include an annual salary of approximately €400,000, with his contract structured to increase year by year, potentially including performance-based bonuses.

Brazão's career includes spells at Nice in France, Lausanne in Switzerland (on loan), and Famalicão in his native Portugal. He later moved to Bodrum, where he scored 14 goals and provided 4 assists in 101 appearances. He has represented Portugal at various youth levels, including seven appearances and one goal for the U-20 team.