Sof Podgoreanu joins Kortrijk after limited minutes at Maccabi Haifa

Sof Podgoreanu will begin next season in Belgium with Kortrijk, after signing a four-year contract with the club. His move comes after a disappointing season at Maccabi Haifa, where he played only sparingly, especially after the departure of Argentine coach Diego Flores.

In an interview with Belgian media, Podgoreanu explained why he chose Kortrijk and described speaking with Yila Batay, who is both a right back and, through his father, connected to the Belgian club. Podgoreanu said, “Yila Batay is a wonderful player. A person above and beyond, on and off the pitch.” He added that Batay told him about Belgium and Kortrijk and said it was “the ideal step” for him, which gave him immediate confidence about the transfer.

Podgoreanu said the decision came quickly because he felt “a lot of confidence from everyone here.” He called Kortrijk “a milestone” in his career and said he is joining “a physically strong team in a strong league.” He added, “I wanted and needed this move.”

Korteijk assistant coach Kurt Batay, Yila Batay’s father, said Podgoreanu had been promising early on, but after he refused to sign a new contract, “things started to become more difficult” and his minutes dropped sharply. Batay said he and Yila immediately saw his potential, and Yila even told them, “Take Sof with your eyes closed.”