Hapoel Tel Aviv Nears Signing of Douglas Owusu After Medical Clearance

Douglas Owusu, the 20-year-old Ghanaian winger currently with Red Star Belgrade, has passed his medical tests in Serbia and is set to sign with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Owusu is expected to join the Israeli club as a replacement for Louizos Louizo, with the transfer fee reported at 2.2 million euros. The player, valued at 4.5 million euros by Transfermarkt, was acquired by Red Star in January for the same amount.

Owusu was close to transferring to Viktoria Plzen last summer for 3.3 million euros but failed the medical examination, which halted the move. Several Israeli clubs, including Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be'er Sheva, had shown interest in Owusu previously, but financial terms or risks associated with his age and price prevented deals. Hapoel Haifa also declined to pursue him this summer.

Owusu, known for playing as a right winger with a strong left foot, has pushed for the move to Israel, effectively reversing the direction of Louizo's transfer. Since joining Red Star, Owusu scored two goals and provided one assist. Prior to that, he played for Serbian club Radnik, scoring nine goals in 33 league appearances last season.

Regarding Louizo, reports from Cyprus indicate he was sold to Red Star for a record 3.5 million euros, with Hapoel Tel Aviv receiving a net 3 million euros from the deal and retaining 10% of any future transfer fee. This transaction marks the highest sale in Hapoel Tel Aviv's history.