Maccabi Tel Aviv Secures Slovenian Striker Aster Sokler Amid Serbian Rivalry

Maccabi Tel Aviv is set to sign Slovenian forward Aster Sokler as their first foreign player acquisition this summer and their second overall signing. The Israeli club reportedly agreed to pay Serbian side Radnički Niš one million euros for the 27-year-old striker. According to Serbian media, major Serbian clubs including Red Star Belgrade, Partizan, and Vojvodina also sought to retain Sokler, but Maccabi's stronger financial offer tipped the scales in their favor. The Israeli club responded quickly and exceeded the demands set by Radnički to finalize the deal.

Sokler moved to Serbia last year from Scottish club Aberdeen, a transfer that revitalized his career. He enjoyed an impressive season in the Serbian SuperLiga, scoring 15 goals. Prior to that, Sokler began his career in Slovenia and was sold to Aberdeen in summer 2023 for 350,000 euros. After two seasons in Scotland, where he scored 12 goals in 72 appearances, he was loaned to Radnički Niš last summer and then permanently transferred for 225,000 euros in the winter transfer window.

Final details remain to be completed before the transfer is officially announced and Sokler dons the Maccabi Tel Aviv jersey. This signing marks a significant step for Maccabi as they bolster their squad with a proven goal scorer from the Serbian league.