Maccabi Tel Aviv fears Cologna delay could stall offseason roster rebuild

Just one day after celebrating the club’s 58th championship, Maccabi Tel Aviv has already turned to building its 2026/27 roster. But club officials are increasingly worried that the pace of work in the transfer market is too slow, and that sporting director Claudio Coldebella is hesitating on decisions and could cost the team an edge over EuroLeague rivals.

The concern intensified after reports first surfaced in Italy on June 12 that Coldebella might leave Maccabi Tel Aviv for a new project in Rome. The Italian team, based on Cremona and due to begin operating next season, is said to have backing from NBA star Luka Doncic and legendary former coach Don Nelson, and is expected to be formally launched in the coming days.

At the end of May, Coldebella had already received the budget framework for next season from the club’s owners, along with approval to begin signing players. That budget is expected to rise by about 30%. Even so, Maccabi says no new signing has been completed so far, and internal criticism is that he is dragging his feet.

Negotiations are also continuing with several current players, including John DiBartolomeo, Tamir Blatt, Oshae Brissett and Isaia Cordinier, but those talks have not yet produced a breakthrough. The club fears that if Coldebella does leave for Rome, Maccabi could be left without a central figure to handle negotiations with players and agents during a crucial stretch of the summer.