Azerbaijan captain turns down Maccabi Netanya move over Israel

Sabahi Abdulzade, the 24-year-old captain of Sumgayit and a midfielder for Azerbaijan’s national team, has reportedly rejected a transfer offer from Maccabi Netanya for political reasons rather than sporting ones. Local media said he did not want to join the Israeli Premier League club because it is based in Israel.

According to the report, Abdulzade was initially interested when he first heard about the offer, since the financial terms were said to be attractive. His stance changed only after he learned the club was Israeli, at which point he declined the move.

The report says the player appears unwilling to play in a country where a war is taking place. Abdulzade has made eight appearances for Azerbaijan and scored three goals this season. He can operate across central midfield roles, from defensive midfielder to attacking midfielder.