Slovenian Forward Aster Sokler Nears Transfer to Maccabi Tel Aviv After Weeks of Negotiations

Maccabi Tel Aviv is close to signing Slovenian forward Aster Sokler from Serbian club Radnički Kragujevac for around one million euros, according to Serbian media reports. The 27-year-old striker scored 15 goals last season, helping Radnički avoid relegation from the Serbian top division. Sokler became a priority target for Maccabi's sporting director Steven Vanhaeren shortly after his appointment a few weeks ago. Vanhaeren had monitored Sokler throughout last season with the intention of recruiting him during the summer transfer window, but Sokler initially moved to Radnički on loan from Scottish club Aberdeen, the current Serbian Cup holders.

Negotiations with Sokler's representatives and Radnički have been ongoing for several weeks, with Maccabi aware of interest from other clubs, including Swedish side Malmö and Serbian powerhouse Partizan Belgrade. Sokler previously played in the Slovenian league until mid-2023 when Aberdeen acquired him for 350,000 euros. After limited impact in Scotland, he was loaned to Radnički, who exercised a purchase option for approximately 250,000 euros following a strong start to the season.

Though Sokler had limited appearances in Slovenia's youth national teams, his impressive form last season earned him a senior national team call-up. About a month ago, he made his debut for Slovenia as a late substitute in a 1-1 draw against Cyprus. Maccabi Tel Aviv aims to finalize the deal ahead of the 2026/27 season, adding a proven goal scorer to their squad.