Premier League clubs are hot on the trail of Israeli Eran Zahavi now that the January transfer window is about to open.
Zahavi’s remarkable Israeli record-breaking run of scoring in 17 consecutive league matches for Maccabi Tel Aviv came to an end on Sunday night in the 2-0 victory over Hapoel Ra’anana.
Zahavi said: “The main thing is that the team won, so I’m happy even if I didn’t score."
Nevertheless, Zahavi’s remarkable goal-scoring run, 16 goals in 15 matches this season, looks set to spark a bidding war among Premier League clubs. Spurs and West Ham are reportedly sending scouts to Tel Aviv to watch Zahavi in Maccabi’s next match, a top- of-the-table clash with Hapoel Beer Sheva, while QPR, Stoke, Swansea, WBA, and Burnley have all been linked with the 27-year-old attacking midfielder.
The relatively low £3 million transfer tag is an added attraction, but with so many clubs interested, that price could rise rapidly.
Despite Zahavi’s protestations that he has over four years left on his five- year contract with Maccabi and has no plans to leave the club, his agent Ronen Katsav was reportedly in London last week, fielding offers for the player.
Zahavi has been a prolific goal scorer since joining Maccabi in 2013 after an undistinguished two-year spell with Palermo in Italy in Serie A and has scored 52 goals in 62 appearances.
But Israel manager Eli Guttman has advised Zahavi to remain in Israel where he is playing and scoring regularly. Guttman’s fear is that Zahavi will struggle to command first-team football in England and lack sharpness for Israel’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifiers at home to Belgium and Wales in March.
To get more from Life, click here to sign up for our free Life newsletter.