Gili Yitzhak Signs Historic Deal with Fourth-Tier Bnei Eilat for Record Salary

Bnei Eilat, a club in Israel's Liga Bet (fourth tier), has made a groundbreaking signing by acquiring striker Gili Yitzhak for a historic salary of 450,000 shekels net per season. This unprecedented contract, the highest ever in the lower leagues, includes additional benefits such as housing and a car, with the total cost borne by the club's owners, the Vaturi family. The deal was negotiated by attorney Amir Cohen and marks a significant step in Bnei Eilat's ambitious project under the management of Kobi Refua.

Yitzhak, 33, is one of the top scorers in the history of the Liga Leumit (second tier) and had offers from several second-tier clubs but chose to join Bnei Eilat despite its lower league status. He grew up at Bnei Yehuda and debuted in the Israeli Premier League in 2011. Over his career, he played for multiple clubs including Maccabi Sha'arayim, Hapoel Rishon LeZion (where he was top scorer in the 2018/19 season), Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Hapoel Kfar Saba, Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Umm al-Fahm, and Maccabi Jaffa. Most recently, he returned to Bnei Yehuda for the 2024/25 season before moving back to Maccabi Jaffa, where he finished last season as the Liga Leumit top scorer with 16 goals.

A close source to Yitzhak told Sport 5 that the player admires Kobi Refua and attorney Amir Cohen and was impressed by the new owners' vision and goals. However, the source noted that it was a complex decision for Yitzhak to drop to Liga Bet given his continued value in Liga Leumit and the personal challenges of relocating to Eilat. The final decision was expected to be made within hours of the announcement.

This signing follows Bnei Eilat's recent acquisitions of notable players Gidi Keniuk, Ofek Fischler, and Ben Yehzakel, reinforcing the club's strategy to dream big and compete aggressively despite its lower league status.