Russian Premier League Club Offers Big Money for Hapoel Be'er Sheva's Abu Romi

Hapoel Be'er Sheva's winger, Mohammed Abu Romi, has attracted significant interest from abroad, with Russian Premier League newcomer Akron Tolyatti submitting a formal offer to acquire him. The club, which recently ascended to Russia's top division, proposed a transfer fee of 1.5 million euros to Be'er Sheva, but the Israeli champions, led by owner Alona Barkat, declined to sell at this stage. Abu Romi, 22, is expected to remain with Be'er Sheva for the upcoming season.

The financial terms offered to Abu Romi were notably generous, including a salary of approximately 700,000 euros per season, a substantial increase from his current 170,000 euros annual wage. Abu Romi joined Hapoel Be'er Sheva in February 2026 from Ironi Kiryat Shmona for 400,000 euros, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract without a release clause. In the previous season, he made 35 league appearances, scoring five goals and providing seven assists across all competitions. He contributed two assists in the championship playoff, helping Be'er Sheva secure their first league title in eight years, and scored in the State Cup final, which they lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Akron Tolyatti, founded eight years ago, earned promotion to the Russian Premier League two years ago via playoffs. They finished 13th out of 16 teams last season, avoiding relegation through playoff victories. The club has previously featured Russian national team player Artem Dzyuba and currently includes Gilson Benchimol, who represented Cape Verde in the World Cup.