Maccabi Tel Aviv Explains Yonis Malede's Transfer to Hapoel Be'er Sheva Despite Owner's Ban

Yonis Malede's surprising transfer from Maccabi Tel Aviv to Hapoel Be'er Sheva was finalized on Sunday, marking one of the most unexpected moves in Israeli football this summer. The 26-year-old forward, who had limited playing time at Maccabi Tel Aviv, previously played under Be'er Sheva's coach Ran Kozuch at Maccabi Netanya. Kozuch aimed to strengthen his squad and believed he could unlock Malede's potential, which Maccabi Tel Aviv had not fully realized.

This transfer reignited attention on a policy set by Maccabi Tel Aviv owner Mitchell Goldhar about a year ago, which forbade players from moving to direct title rivals such as Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Be'er Sheva, and Beitar Jerusalem. This policy was evident in previous cases like Avishay Cohen and Uri Azou, where transfers to rival clubs were blocked. However, Malede's move to Be'er Sheva was allowed despite this directive.

Maccabi Tel Aviv found the deal favorable because Malede was earning a very high salary, which Be'er Sheva will now cover entirely. The transfer fee paid by Be'er Sheva was 100,000 euros, significantly less than the 350,000 euros Maccabi Tel Aviv paid to sign Malede from Belgian club Mechelen in January 2024. Since joining Maccabi Tel Aviv, Malede appeared in only 24 matches, scoring two goals in roughly 400 minutes of play.

The transfer highlights the complexities of club policies and financial considerations in Israeli football, as well as the strategic decisions behind player movements between rival teams.