Tzillman says Maccabi Tel Aviv's budget will jump into EuroLeague's top six

After Maccabi Tel Aviv won its 58th championship, businessman and club director Erik Tzillman said the club is preparing a major budget increase and expects a roster signing within days. Speaking on Sport 5’s "5 Ba’Olam," he said the ownership changes and spending plan are already approved, and that he has become one of Maccabi’s shareholders after buying the Faderman family’s shares.

"Everything is approved and closed, I am one of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s shareholders," Tzillman said. He added that the board discussed the matter about three weeks ago and approved a significant budget increase. According to him, the budget will be 40% higher than last season and could reach about 50%, which would place Maccabi among the EuroLeague’s six biggest budgets.

Tzillman said he expects a new player welcome, meaning an incoming signing, within the next three or four days. He said the club has been active in the market in recent weeks and hopes to complete the roster by mid-July. He also stressed that a larger budget does not mean every target will be signed automatically.

On Tamir Blatt, Tzillman said he understands there are financial gaps that Koldabella is trying to bridge with Blatt’s representatives. He said he has not heard any update, noted that Koldabella still has one more year on his contract, and said he learned about the situation from the media. Tzillman also said Blatt remains a highly sought-after Israeli player and that Maccabi would like to keep him if the numbers can be worked out.

He added that he presented shareholders with a proposal to raise the club’s budget to 30 million, but the approval meeting for that figure has not yet taken place and is expected in July. Tzillman said there is a multi-year plan for how the incoming funds will be used, not only for player salaries, and praised the Recanati family and Shimon Mizrahi for acting in the club’s best interests.