Cape Verde winger Helio Varela, who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv, has drawn strong interest from European clubs after scoring against Uruguay at the World Cup on Monday. Varela came on as a substitute after missing Cape Verde’s opener against Spain, and within three minutes he equalized to make it 2-2. It was the first goal ever scored by a Maccabi Tel Aviv player in a World Cup, and it immediately raised his profile.
Varela, unlike other Maccabi Tel Aviv wingers who were brought in and later sold such as Milson and Wesley Patati, had not previously been one of the club’s most marketable players. Maccabi Tel Aviv bought him less than a year ago from Belgian side Gent for 1.2 million euros, after a short European career that also included Portugal. Over the course of last season he became more integrated into the squad, and his performances in the playoffs and in the closing stages of the State Cup, especially the final against Hapoel Be'er Sheva, established him as one of the team’s better players, beyond his notable personality.
At Maccabi Tel Aviv, the expectation is that his goal, combined with the possibility he scores again against Saudi Arabia and perhaps later in the knockout rounds, will soon produce formal offers. Varela is 24 and is under contract for two more years, with the club holding an option for an additional season. Because he does not have an exit clause, Maccabi Tel Aviv is free to set any price it wants.
He was considered safe for next season and was not among the foreign players expected to be replaced. But if the growing interest over the last 24 hours turns into concrete bids and a deal, Maccabi Tel Aviv would need to find a replacement left winger.
