Eran Zahavi was the hot topic of Israeli football in the past two weeks, when everyone wanted to know: "where will the national superstar play next season"?
Zahavi arrived in Israel before its national squad’s UEFA Nations League matches, surrounded by rumours about his next destination.
Eran Zahavi left Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2016. Even though the team failed to win the championship, it was after three consecutive titles, with Zahavi having a great season. He led the club to the Champions League group stage and broke the record for most goals in a single season in the Israeli league with 35 goals. At the end of the season, he signed for Guangzhou R&F from China - a move that came with a substantial paycheck rather than a professional challenge.
He played in China for five seasons and became one of the Chinese Super League's leading players. He scored 91 goals, was the league top scorer twice and was chosen as the league's MVP in 2017. If it was up to him, he might have preferred to continue and play in China, but some changes behind the scenes influenced his path.
Two years ago, the Chinese FA decided to set a salary cap for players in the league, as part of their series of actions to force the clubs to invest in their youth teams rather than lavishing foreign players with financially explosive contracts. This rule didn't apply to the existing contract, but will affect Zahavi's next deal in China. If he extends his agreement with Guangzhou R&F, he will have to significantly cut his wage.
Moreover, the Chinese league became a less comfortable place for foreign players during coronavirus times. The league adopted a bubble format, where the teams have to remain in lockdown in hotels. Zahavi, like other players, was forced into isolated from his family life in order to keep playing. "The Chinese bubble is not easy," says Oren Josipovich, one of the leading Israeli sports journalists and Zahavi's biography author. "Imagine that the NBA players are isolated in much better conditions, and still have it hard. The fact that Zahavi will need to live away from his family for three months was a good reason to leave."
A week ago, the Israeli FA announced the squad for the next matches against Scotland and Slovakia in the UEFA Nations League. It was a day after FIFA announced that teams from countries that require a quarantine could refuse a call-up. Guangzhou R&F had the option to prevent Zahavi from flying to Israel. Surprisingly, the FA confirmed that Zahavi would be in the squad. The next reports quoted the official decision – Zahavi was released and wouldn't return to China after the international break. Since that moment, the prolific Israeli scorer became a popular option for transfer rumours.
During the Euro 2020 qualifiers, Zahavi became a well-known player in Europe. He finished the campaign with 11 goals, one goal behind Harry Kane and equal to Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2019, his agent Ronen Katzav confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur was interested in buying him before the transfer deadline, but it didn't happen due to technical issues. Zahavi can be a candidate for European clubs, but at the age of 33 and with a high price tag, it might be much more difficult.
One of the first leagues that were mentioned as an option for Zahavi was the MLS, where clubs can pay him as much as he earned in China. This option was Zahavi's favourite, but the recent change and the players' lockdown changed his mind. Another rumour was a possible move to Fenerbahçe. According to reports in Turkey, Zahavi had an offer with a wage of €2.5m per season and a €1m signing fee. It may be an extreme drop compared to his salary in China, but it might be his opportunity to play in a successful club. "He played in R&F for five seasons, and it's great to live the best life you can in China, but at the end of the day, he was very disappointed that the club failed to become more competitive," says Josipovich. According to Milliyet, Zahavi already accepted Fenerbahçe’s offer and he will be introduced in the next few days.
Some still hope that Zahavi will return home. He recently bought a new home in Israel, and his time in his home country can make his comeback to the domestic league possible. Only one team can afford Zahavi, his previous club Maccabi Tel Aviv. Although Maccabi is the wealthiest club in Israel, it is under Financial Fair Play limitations. Some rumours about offers that were made by Maccabi Tel Aviv were spread, most of them found to be pranks eventually.
Until that moment, according to sources, Eran Zahavi didn't get any official offer. The question where he would play is drawing more attention among the fans. Soon, we will have an answer.
Photo via Eran Zahavi official Instagram.
