Hapoel Haifa has added another player for the 2026/27 season, signing 19-year-old striker Itai Zafrani on loan from Maccabi Tel Aviv through his agent, Adam Kidan. Zafrani was the top scorer for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Youth Premier League and the move was reported earlier by Sport5 before becoming official on June 23, 2026.
As part of the loan deal, Hapoel Haifa does not have an option to buy him. To complete the transfer, the club agreed with Maccabi Tel Aviv to guarantee the player at least 20% of the minutes, a condition included in the contract.
After signing, Zafrani said, “It is a great honor for me to sign with a club like Hapoel Haifa and begin a new path there as a senior player. I will do everything to repay the trust and make the fans happy.”
Zafrani scored 25 goals this season as Maccabi Tel Aviv won the Youth Premier League title after a close race with Hapoel Tel Aviv that went to the final round. He becomes the latest addition to a Hapoel Haifa recruitment drive that already includes Giorgi Japaridze, Noam Cohen, Tal Naim, Haib Habiballah and Sali Pahima.