Maccabi Tel Aviv Nears Re-Signing Midfielder Gabi Kanichovsky Amid Transfer Talks

Maccabi Tel Aviv is close to re-signing midfielder Gabi Kanichovsky, who currently plays for Hungarian club Ferencváros. The Hungarian side demands around one million euros for the transfer, while Kanichovsky earns 550,000 euros per season and joined Ferencváros on a free transfer last summer after a successful season. Kanichovsky has agreed in principle to return to Maccabi Tel Aviv, with the remaining hurdle being the transfer fee negotiation between the Israeli club and Ferencváros.

Ferencváros is scheduled to play an away match against ZTE, and Kanichovsky has started every game in the Europa League qualifiers and the Hungarian league so far. If he is absent from the squad for the first time this season, it could signal progress in the transfer talks. However, due to UEFA regulations, Kanichovsky cannot play in the Conference League playoff round for Maccabi Tel Aviv if he has already played in the Europa League qualifiers for Ferencváros. He would be eligible to play in the group stage if the transfer is completed by September 2, assuming Maccabi qualifies.

Ferencváros might delay the transfer until after the Europa League playoff matches against Trabzonspor, meaning Kanichovsky could miss one Conference League playoff game for Maccabi. Kanichovsky remains in good form, having played 59 minutes in a recent Europa League playoff match. Maccabi Tel Aviv expects to receive approximately 5.6 million euros from the sale of Saeed Abu Farhi to MLS, making the transfer fee demand feasible.

Kanichovsky was a key player in Maccabi Tel Aviv’s previous championship wins and is considered one of Israel’s best midfielders. His playmaking skills and ability to combine offensive creativity with defensive work rate make him a valuable addition. His partnership with teammate Sissoko in the 2024/25 season resulted in an 84.4% success rate in matches played together. Kanichovsky expressed his desire for a challenge abroad and acknowledged coach Robbie Keane’s role in his development. With Keane’s departure from Ferencváros, Kanichovsky is expected to join Maccabi under new coach Kenny Miller.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s next league match is against Hapoel Jerusalem on August 23. If the transfer is completed beforehand, Kanichovsky could feature in that game despite missing the Conference League playoff matches.