Benayoun officially on the loose

The midfielder was already told at the end of last season that he will not have his Chelsea contract extended.

By ALLON SINAI
Yossi Benayoun370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Yossi Benayoun370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Yossi Benayoun’s time at Chelsea officially came to an end on Sunday with the conclusion of his three-year contract at the Premier League powerhouse.
The 33-year-old Israel midfielder was already told at the end of last season that he will not have his contract extended at Chelsea, but he has yet to sign with a new team.
Benayoun’s agent Ronen Katzav said that there are a couple of Premier League clubs interested in his services, with West Bromwich Albion being one of them.
“West Brom have registered their interest and now we are just waiting to see what other options are available,” said Katzav. “We have been negotiating with another club in the Premier League and clubs in Germany and Spain, so Yossi will have to make a decision very soon.
“He has been playing in England for a long time now so it has become like a second home to him.”
Benayoun indicated last month that he would like to move across the Atlantic to play in the MLS, telling the New York Post: “I’m trying to do everything I can to come to America and to play in the MLS, and hopefully it works out in the next few weeks.”
In the meantime, Benayoun has spent the past week training with Maccabi Haifa to remain in shape ahead of his next move.
Since leaving Liverpool three years ago, Benayoun has only made a total of 39 league appearances for Chelsea, and on-loan at Arsenal and West Ham.
Benayoun was also dropped from the Israel squad for professional reasons for the first time in 14 years last October.
However, he was ultimately recalled by Israel coach Eli Gutman and played a part in the national team’s past two 2014 World Cup qualifiers versus Portugal and Northern Ireland before starting in the friendly win over Honduras last month.
That marked his 93rd appearance with the national team, closing to within just one cap of equaling Arik Benado’s record.