Hapoel Petah Tikva Sets Higher Price for Songa Amid Transfer Talks

Hapoel Petah Tikva is demanding a higher transfer fee for 21-year-old Chippionga Songa, who is currently sought after by a Portuguese club. Despite an offer of 500,000 euros from Portugal, the Israeli club has set a price tag of 650,000 euros to move forward with the deal. The club is preparing to officially start training on Wednesday with a notably incomplete squad due to visa delays affecting foreign players Bony Amian, Clay, and Songa.

New signings Roy Sasson, Yazan Nasser, and Avishai Cohen, whose potential transfers were first reported by Sport 5, are expected to join the training sessions. Additional new players including Stav Israeli, Harel Shalom, Tadros Damalash, and Guy Badash will also participate. Trialists Omar Itzhak from Ironi Tiberias and Majd Dahleh, who played last season for Nof HaGalil, are set to try out for the team.

The club is awaiting the release of Alex Musonda and plans to start the season with two foreign central defenders. If Musonda does not arrive, they will seek another foreign defender. Coach Uri Azou is interested in a loan deal from Maccabi Tel Aviv and is awaiting confirmation. The team is working within a budget similar to last year despite their success in reaching the upper playoff stage.