Maccabi Haifa Targets Hapoel Petah Tikva Goalkeeper Omer Katz as Backup

Maccabi Haifa is actively searching for a second goalkeeper, with Yoni Nir'on as their primary candidate. However, negotiations with Maccabi Netanya for Nir'on have stalled due to high transfer demands. As a result, Haifa is considering alternatives, including Omer Katz from Hapoel Petah Tikva, but they are unwilling to pay any transfer or loan fees for him. Currently, Hapoel Petah Tikva has no intention of releasing Katz, who is a key player for the team.

Hapoel Petah Tikva is also among the leading candidates to acquire young midfielder Itay Ehud from Maccabi Haifa, though it is unclear if this potential deal will influence Katz's situation. Katz, 28, began his career at Maccabi Herzliya's academy before moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he was under contract from 2009 to 2017. He made his professional debut with Hapoel Ramat Hasharon and later played for Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla. Since the 2020/2021 season, Katz has been a mainstay at Hapoel Petah Tikva, accumulating 176 appearances across all competitions.