Former Manchester City and Dortmund Winger Jayden Braaf Arrives in Israel for Hapoel Haifa Trial

Jayden Braaf, a 23-year-old Dutch winger with Surinamese roots and a notable European youth career, has arrived in Israel to trial with Hapoel Haifa. Braaf, once regarded as a top talent in his age group, has struggled with serious injuries and disciplinary issues that have stalled his career. He has not played official football since early 2025 due to a complex knee injury sustained at Udinese.

Braaf's career includes stints at Manchester City's youth and reserve teams, Borussia Dortmund, Serie A clubs Udinese and Hellas Verona, as well as Fortuna Sittard and Salernitana. He also scored twice in three appearances for the Netherlands U18 national team. Hapoel Haifa coach Haim Silvas emphasized that team cohesion is a priority but acknowledged Braaf's unique profile warrants evaluation. Braaf is expected to participate in training sessions and play in an upcoming Toto Cup match against Ironi Kiryat Shmona as part of his trial.

Hapoel Haifa is seeking a significant offensive reinforcement and currently favors high-quality foreign players over recent Israeli options. The club is performing strongly in the Toto Cup with three wins and aims to secure a semifinal spot in a decisive match against Kiryat Shmona at Sammy Ofer Stadium. The team hopes to improve on last season’s disappointing semifinal exit, where they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem.