Agent Reveals Why Yonatan Nikolasco's Transfer to Hapoel Ramat Gan Collapsed

The agent of Israeli football player Yonatan Nikolasco, Rafi Epstein, revealed the reasons behind the collapse of his client's transfer to Hapoel Ramat Gan, a deal that was reportedly very close to completion. Epstein stated in an interview with "5 Ba'avir" that the transfer "exploded over trivialities at the last minute" after three months of negotiations.

Epstein explained that Nikolasco had been looking to move from Maccabi Tel Aviv as part of their plan to reduce their foreign player roster for the season. After considering several offers, Nikolasco was impressed by Hapoel Ramat Gan and its representative, Avi Yechiel, who had experienced a similar injury. All financial terms and conditions, including an exit clause, were reportedly agreed upon between the clubs.

However, in the final days before the transfer window closed, Epstein sensed a slowdown in communication from Maccabi Tel Aviv. He suspected that the club had not found a replacement for Nikolasco and was hesitant to let him go. "They did everything to prevent the deal from happening," Epstein claimed, suggesting Maccabi Tel Aviv wanted Nikolasco to stay and play for them instead.

Epstein expressed embarrassment over the "trivialities" that ultimately scuttled the deal in the final hour, stating that Maccabi Tel Aviv used a minor change as an excuse to break off negotiations. He felt it would have been more respectful if Maccabi Tel Aviv had communicated their decision earlier. Nikolasco himself remained uninvolved in the final negotiations, leaving the decision to his agent.

Regarding Nikolasco's current status, Epstein updated that the player is recovering from an injury and sent a video of himself training. He is expected to resume full training by mid-October and be ready to play in November. Epstein also briefly commented on Adrian Ogrisa at Hapoel Be'er Sheva, noting his happiness with the club despite recent limited playing time.