Maccabi Tel Aviv Offers Brazilian Defender Leo Santos Amid Squad Reinforcement Efforts

Maccabi Tel Aviv has submitted an offer to Brazilian defender Leo Santos, currently playing for Nacional in Portugal, aiming to strengthen their defense ahead of the 2026/27 season. Despite the proposal, Santos, 27, has declined the offer so far, expressing a preference to either remain in Portugal or move to a league outside Israel. Santos, who can operate on both right and left sides of the defense and is known for his ball control, played for Nacional, which finished 14th in the Portuguese top division last season.

The Israeli cup holders have yet to sign a foreign defender to replace Heitor, who was loaned to Hungarian club Újpest. Alongside efforts to acquire Cypriot defender Stelios Andreou, Maccabi Tel Aviv continues to explore other markets, including the bid for Santos. The team recently concluded their training camp in Serbia but faces significant uncertainties regarding their roster. They currently lack a central defender, a striker, and a right winger, and potential sales of players like Roy Revivo and Tyrese Asante could necessitate further signings.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is actively seeking to bolster their squad depth as they prepare for the upcoming season, but negotiations with Santos remain stalled as he is not yet ready to commit to a move to Israel.