Maccabi Haifa Registers Forward Andrej Novakovic Ahead of Saturday Match

Maccabi Haifa has officially registered forward Andrej Novakovic with the Israeli Football Association, making him eligible to join the squad for the first time in their upcoming Toto Cup match against Hapoel Ramat Gan on Saturday at 20:30. Novakovic had missed earlier Toto Cup games due to injury and the club's foreign player quota, but Haifa freed up a spot by loaning out Peter Etebo to Hungarian club Győr. It remains unclear whether coach Barak Bachar will start Novakovic or use him as a substitute, but the forward is now available for selection.

Meanwhile, Maccabi Haifa faces a decision regarding midfielder Manuel Benson, who suffered a serious injury during a Toto Cup match. The club is considering either freezing his contract or terminating it and is actively seeking to sign a foreign winger to replace him. Haifa had high hopes for Benson, but his injury has forced a change in plans. The club notes that current players like Cedric Don, Iyad Khalili, and Yair Mordechai usually play in other positions, prompting the need to strengthen the squad with a new foreign winger.