Maccabi Haifa Seeks Foreign Winger After Manuel Benson's Season-Ending Injury

Maccabi Haifa faces a significant setback as Manuel Benson will miss the entire 2026/27 season due to a knee injury diagnosed on Tuesday, involving a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus. Benson will be sidelined, prompting the club to explore options for a foreign winger to fill his role. Currently, Cedric Don is expected to take over the position, with Yair Mordechai and Iyad Khalaily also potential candidates for playing time.

The coaching staff, led by Barak Bachar and Lior Rafaelov, is actively searching for a foreign winger to strengthen the squad. One option under consideration is Alexei Khotsuliak, who is currently a free agent. Another Israeli winger, Oz Bilu, was evaluated last summer, but the club is leaning towards signing a foreign player. Brazilian winger Yan Sassa, recently released from Esperance de Tunis, has been offered to Haifa as a potential signing.

Haifa is set to begin their season against Hapoel Ramat Gan this coming Saturday. The club clarified that Benson's injury is unrelated to the registration status of Andrea Novakovic, who is expected to be officially registered once Peter Agbawa's departure is finalized.