Maccabi Tel Aviv Fails to Sign Foreign Winger, Eyes Internal Replacements

Maccabi Tel Aviv concluded its transfer window without signing a foreign right winger, a position the club sought to strengthen throughout the summer. The team had secured a spot for a foreign player after agreeing to loan Yon Nicolascu from Hapoel Ramat Gan. However, due to various reasons, the club failed to finalize a deal for Morgan Bokila or any other winger in the final days of the window. Nicolascu also opted against the loan move to Hapoel Ramat Gan.

As a result, Maccabi Tel Aviv currently has eight foreign players, but no dedicated foreign right winger. Two of their foreign players, Nicolascu and Kristian Blic, are sidelined with injuries and are not expected to return for another two months. Club sources indicated that Shagiv Ezekiel, who can play on both the right and left wings, is nearing a return to the rotation and will help fill the void. Hisham La'ayos, who also plays on the left wing but can cover the right, is another option. Additionally, Idan Shachar is capable of playing the position.

"We need to remember that we are not competing in multiple competitions this season, not playing in Europe, so the workload has dramatically decreased," a club source stated. "We don't need to play twice a week anymore. There are good enough alternatives in case Davida and Varla cannot play." The team is relying on Ezekiel's return to bolster the squad.

Despite the transfer window disappointment, Maccabi Tel Aviv is focusing on their upcoming match against Maccabi Netanya on Saturday night. "We have done good things in the last four rounds," the club stated, "but these are only four rounds. We need to continue strongly with our foot on the gas to win in Netanya and go into the break with 100% success."

Both current wingers, Osher Davida and Helio Varela, are considered among the team's best players and had a strong start to the season. The club hopes they will remain fit and avoid the need for immediate replacements.