Hapoel Haifa is preparing for the 2026/27 season and is looking to strengthen its defensive midfield position. According to a report published Wednesday, the Israeli club has identified a young midfielder who recently played in the United Arab Emirates as a candidate for the squad.
The player is 21-year-old Ciek Omar Keita from Mali. He came through a local youth academy in Mali and moved in the summer of 2024 to Hatta Club, which competes in the second division in the UAE.
Keita made 16 appearances in all competitions for Hatta, logging 1,011 total minutes, and recorded one league assist. The report says Hapoel Haifa has been focusing this transfer window on building out its young core, a strategy reflected in the signings of Itai Zafrani, Tal Na'im and Sally Pahima.
The article does not say a deal is close, only that the club is monitoring the midfielder as it continues its offseason planning.