Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun is set to resume full training nearly five months after undergoing surgery on a torn Achilles tendon.

The news comes as a welcome boost following Tuesday's 2-1 victory over leaders Manchester United.

Benayoun said: "I'm feeling really good and progressing well. I hope to return to full training with Chelsea within a week or two."

A fifth Israeli has joined the Premier League after Manchester City signed Gai Assulin on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Released by Barcelona last summer, Assulin agreed the deal after convincing City officials that he has returned to fitness following a knee injury.

"I heard a lot about City and as soon as I saw the club I wanted to stay," said Assulin.

The attacking midfielder, dubbed the next Lionel Messi, holds the record as the youngest ever player to represent Israel at 16.

Manchester City have signed Israeli teenager Gai Assulin on a two and a half year contract.

Assulin, 19, was released by Barcelona last summer and penned a deal after convincing City officials that he has returned to fitness following a knee injury.

“I heard a lot about City,” said Assulin, “and as soon as I saw the club I wanted to stay.”

The attacking midfielder, dubbed the next Lionel Messi, holds the record as the youngest ever player to represent Israel at 16.

EXCLUSIVE: David Gold, co-owner of West Ham, wants manager Avram Grant to build a legacy at Upton Park.

The Hammers returned to the foot of the table after the 1-0 defeat against Sunderland but Gold says that both he and David Sullivan will give the Israeli time to put things right.

Grant is the bookies' favourite to be the next Premier League manager to get sacked but Gold is keen to keep faith in the former Chelsea boss.

"Historically, David Sullivan and I support our managers. I've employed more than 60 inside and outside football and am pretty good at it.

Gai Assulin's hopes of reviving his top-flight career with Manchester City suffered a major setback on Wednesday evening when he was injured in the warm-up ahead of Israel's Under 21 friendly against Belarus in Rishon Lezion.

Assulin, 19, an attacking midfielder, was withdrawn from the starting line-up after twisting the knee on which he had surgery in September. However, he came on as a late substitute and showed a few flashes of brilliance as Israel ran out 2-1 winners.

Prior to the incident, we understand that City were going to make a decision on the Israel wonder kid by Sunday.

Maccabi Tel Aviv youth team captain Omri Altman will arrive at Liverpool with a huge weight on his shoulders. Invited by manager Roy Hodgson for a week-long trial, he has been compared to Reds captain Steven Gerrard in his native Israel.

Altman's trial comes just as new Liverpool owner John Henry told Hodgson that he must develop young players rather than buy expensive new ones.