Hapoel Be'er Sheva Signs Yonas Malede After Two-Year Hiatus

Hapoel Be'er Sheva announced on August 16, 2026, the signing of forward Yonas Malede from Maccabi Tel Aviv. Coach Ran Kozuch expressed satisfaction with the acquisition, having sought experienced Israeli players with top-level backgrounds since last season. Despite Malede not playing regularly for over two years, Kozuch was impressed by his personality and ambition after a chance meeting on a beach in Thailand two years ago.

Negotiations had stalled previously due to financial issues, but Malede agreed to a reduced salary of 280,000 euros per season on a three-year contract, excluding bonuses. The deal was finalized just before Be'er Sheva's final training session in Israel ahead of their UEFA Champions League playoff match in Bucharest. Dudu Dahan, who also serves as Kozuch's agent, managed the talks.

Malede, married with a child, will relocate to Be'er Sheva and follow a physical training program designed by fitness coach Israel Zaviti. Kozuch envisions deploying him primarily as a winger rather than a central striker, competing for playing time with players like Zahi Ahmed, Javon East, Ganah, and Mohammad Abu Romi. The coach emphasized the need for a deep, disciplined squad and conveyed confidence in Malede's ability to return to his previous performance levels, contingent on his effort.

Signing a three-year contract signals both patience from the club and belief in Malede, who is eager to prove himself after a challenging period. Kozuch highlighted that the player understands no one owes him anything and is motivated to succeed.