Hapoel Tel Aviv Signs Douglas Owusu Despite Higher Saudi Offer, Agent Reveals

Hapoel Tel Aviv completed a major signing this week by acquiring Ghanaian winger Douglas Owusu for 2.2 million euros, marking one of the club's biggest deals. Owusu's agent, Stav Hachmon, detailed the lengthy negotiations and challenges in an interview with Sport 5's "5 BaAvir" program on August 6, 2026.

Hachmon denied any official interest from rival Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, stating no formal offers were made despite speculation. Initially, Owusu was linked to other clubs including Viktoria Plzen, Metalist Kharkiv, and Swansea, with offers also coming from Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi offer was reportedly five times higher than Hapoel's, but the player and his family trusted Hapoel's management and project, influenced heavily by coach Aliniv Breda's persuasive conversations.

The agent explained that the deal was facilitated by a close relationship between Hapoel's sports director Guy Primor and Owusu's former club's technical director Marco Marin. Medical concerns about Owusu's fitness were thoroughly addressed, with multiple evaluations by doctors from Bayern Munich, the Serbian national team, and Israeli medical staff confirming no obstacles to signing him. The club's deputy CEO, Erez Naaman, was credited for his crucial role in finalizing the transfer.

Owusu's family reportedly valued the professional management at Hapoel, which convinced them to forgo significantly higher financial offers. The agent also mentioned that Viktoria Plzen withdrew their interest for unspecified reasons, similar to a previous experience with another player, Tabi. The signing is seen as a strategic move for Hapoel Tel Aviv's future ambitions in the Israeli Premier League.