Maccabi Haifa will begin training on Tuesday, and four players returning from loan spells will join the sessions as they try to convince coach Barak Bachar and club official Lior Refaelov that they deserve a place in next season’s squad.
The most prominent of the group is Ayad Khalaili, who was relegated with Bnei Reineh but still stood out with two goals and one assist. Several Premier League clubs are interested in him, including Hapoel Ramat Gan, Bnei Sakhnin and Hapoel Petah Tikva.
Three other loanees, Itai Ehud, Amit Arzi and Gatacho Yeblu, also return after spending the season at Hapoel Kfar Saba. It is not yet clear whether any of them will stay in Haifa’s roster this season. Arzi and Yeblu remain wanted by Hapoel Kfar Saba, and if they do not stay at Maccabi Haifa, the expectation is that they will look for another Premier League club.
Ehud is competing for midfield spots with Yarin Levi, Ali Mohamed, Eitan Azoulay and Navot Ratner. If he is sent out again, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Hapoel Petah Tikva and Bnei Sakhnin are interested. From last season’s youth-team representatives, Niv Gabay will also report for training in the Carmel, but he is still deciding whether to remain an overage youth player and wait for minutes with the senior team, go on loan to Hapoel Kfar Saba, or move on loan to another Premier League side, with Ironi Kiryat Shmona also interested. In any case, Maccabi Haifa is expected to require playing-time guarantees for its loanees, except at Hapoel Kfar Saba, where the clubs cooperate.
