Maccabi Tel Aviv Explains Yonas Malede's Transfer to Hapoel Be'er Sheva

Yonas Malede's surprising transfer from Maccabi Tel Aviv to Hapoel Be'er Sheva was finalized on Sunday, August 16, 2026. The 26-year-old striker, who had limited playing time at Maccabi Tel Aviv, previously played under coach Ran Kozuch at Maccabi Netanya. Kozuch aimed to strengthen Be'er Sheva's squad, believing he could unlock Malede's potential better than Maccabi had.

This move reignited discussions about Maccabi Tel Aviv owner Mitchell Goldhar's policy, established about a year ago, which forbids players from transferring to direct title rivals such as Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva. This policy was evident in previous cases like Avishay Cohen and Uri Azou, where transfers to rival clubs were blocked.

Despite this, Maccabi Tel Aviv found the deal favorable because Malede was earning a high salary, which Be'er Sheva will now fully cover. Be'er Sheva paid Maccabi 100,000 euros for Malede, who had been acquired in January 2024 for 350,000 euros from Belgian club Mechelen. Since joining Maccabi Tel Aviv, Malede played only 24 matches, scoring two goals in roughly 400 minutes on the field.