Maccabi Tel Aviv Agent Fee Demand Scuttles Loan Move

A bizarre last-minute demand by Maccabi Tel Aviv regarding agent fees derailed the loan transfer of striker Jonatan Nicolescu to Hapoel Ramat Gan just half an hour before the Israeli transfer window closed on Wednesday. Maccabi Tel Aviv informed Hapoel Ramat Gan at 6:30 PM that Nicolescu would not be loaned, leaving Hapoel Ramat Gan with only seven foreign players. The clubs had already exchanged all necessary documents for a no-fee loan deal, with Maccabi Tel Aviv set to cover Nicolescu's full salary of 600,000 euros per season.

According to Nicolescu's agent, Rafi Epstein, Maccabi Tel Aviv officials, including CEO Jack Anglides and professional director Steven Vaharnik, demanded that Epstein waive his 60,000 euro commission for the deal to proceed. Epstein stated this was an "audacious demand" and refused, leading to a heated exchange and the collapse of the transfer. Epstein was due to receive this fee as part of three payments from Nicolescu's prior 1.3 million euro transfer from Hirnbein.

Epstein claimed Maccabi Tel Aviv "wronged" Nicolescu, who had already spoken with Hapoel Ramat Gan coach Messaï Dego and Avi Yechiel and was prepared for the move. Meanwhile, Maccabi Tel Aviv concluded the transfer window by signing Gabi Kanyukovsky and James Tavernier, while loaning out Roy Revivo to Elche and Sayed Abu Farchi to Colorado Rapids for approximately ten million euros. Maccabi Tel Aviv's response to the allegations was not immediately available.