Four Returning Loans to Join Maccabi Haifa Training as Squad Decisions Near

Maccabi Haifa will open training on Tuesday, and four players returning from loan spells will take part as they try to convince Barak Bachar and Lior Refaelov they belong in the first-team squad for next season.

The most prominent returnee is Iad Khalaileh, who was relegated with Bnei Reineh but still stood out with two goals and an assist. Several Premier League clubs are interested in him, including Hapoel Ramat Gan, Bnei Sakhnin and Hapoel Petah Tikva.

Three players who spent this season on loan at Hapoel Kfar Saba will also report for training, Itai Ehud, Amit Arzi and Gatacho Yabalu. It is still unclear whether any of the three will remain with Haifa this season. Arzi and Gatacho are again wanted by Hapoel Kfar Saba, but if they do not stay at Maccabi Haifa, the expectation is that they will look for another Premier League club.

Ehud is competing in midfield with Yarin Levi, Ali Mohamed, Eitan Azoulay and Nabot Ratner. If he is sent out on loan, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Hapoel Petah Tikva and Bnei Sakhnin are also said to be interested. Among last season’s youth-team players, Niv Gabai will also begin training at Carmel, but he is still deciding whether to remain an overage youth player and wait for senior minutes, go on loan to Hapoel Kfar Saba, or be loaned to a Premier League team, with Ironi Kiryat Shmona interested. Haifa is expected to demand a guarantee of playing time for its loanees, except at Hapoel Kfar Saba, where the clubs cooperate.