Israel Under-20 national team goalkeeper Tomer Tzarfati is set to sign with Kfar Shalem on Sunday, after a late-night sequence that reshaped his future. Channel Sport was first to report the deal, and the move was finalized after good relations between Kfar Shalem and coach Omer Peretz helped close the agreement.
For the past few days, Hapoel Petah Tikva held marathon meetings over which goalkeeper would compete this season with Omer Katz. The final two candidates were Roy Sasson, who played for Kfar Shalem last season, and Tzarfati of Maccabi Netanya, who also appeared at the Under-20 World Cup. Beyond football reasons, Petah Tikva preferred Tzarfati because his age would have allowed the club to fill its under-23 quota, a step tied to special Sports Ministry grants.
Between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, Tzarfati and his representatives received formal contact from Hapoel Petah Tikva. During the overnight push, the club promised him a fair battle with Katz for the starting spot. By morning, however, Petah Tikva learned from Channel Sport’s exclusive report that Kfar Shalem had chosen Tzarfati as its first-choice goalkeeper and had already reached contractual and financial terms with his agent, Avi Naimni, who was then in Zagreb with his client Dor Peretz.
Petah Tikva quickly understood the situation. Peretz had previously coached Kfar Shalem in several stints, including a promotion from Liga Alef and a relegation from the National League the following season, and he remains in close contact with club bosses Avihai Yechia and Eitan Aharon. With Naimni also involved, Petah Tikva officially pulled out. One club source said, "Once we understood that Kfar Shalem had sat down and agreed with Tomer Tzarfati, we withdrew from the matter. Until it was published, we did not know. Tomer is an excellent goalkeeper, and we wish him success at Kfar Shalem."
