Hapoel Be'er Sheva Advances in Champions League Playoffs, Negotiates Signing of Defender Omar Gonzalez

Hapoel Be'er Sheva has returned to Israel after securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League playoff round. On Wednesday, the team will face Sabah FK in their new stadium in Bucharest in the first leg of a two-match series that could send them to the Champions League group stage for the first time in club history. Prior to this, on Monday, Be'er Sheva will play Hapoel Haifa at Sammy Ofer Stadium in a Toto Cup match for fifth place, where coach Ran Kozluk is expected to rotate the squad extensively.

Meanwhile, Be'er Sheva is in active negotiations with 28-year-old Cameroonian defender Omar Gonzalez, who recently ended his contract with Al Sadd in Saudi Arabia and is currently a free agent. Sources close to Gonzalez confirmed to Sport 5 that a Zoom meeting took place with Be'er Sheva representatives, expressing immediate interest in signing him. Gonzalez last played on May 13 and will require time to regain match fitness.

Gonzalez has an impressive record, including 30 appearances in France's Ligue 1, 74 in Ligue 2, and 58 in the Saudi Professional League, where he also served as captain. Known for his speed and goal-scoring ability, he has scored 19 career goals, six of which were in Saudi Arabia. His playing style fits well with Kozluk's high-press tactics. The club, however, will need to wait before finalizing the deal due to fitness considerations.