Zahavi agrees to lucrative contract extension with Maccabi Tel Aviv

The 26-year-old player will stay on for another five years while earning almost NIS 3 million a year.

By ALLON SINAI
Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Eran Zahavi secured his team’s 2-0 victory over Ashdod SC at Bloomfield Stadium last night, netting the second goal of the match 10 minutes from time. (photo credit: Adi Avishai)
Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Eran Zahavi secured his team’s 2-0 victory over Ashdod SC at Bloomfield Stadium last night, netting the second goal of the match 10 minutes from time.
(photo credit: Adi Avishai)
Eran Zahavi is set to become the highest paid player in the Israeli Premier League after coming to terms with Maccabi Tel Aviv on a new five-year deal on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old will sign the contract extension with the yellow- and-blue in the coming days, with his new yearly salary estimated at 600,000 Euros (almost three million NIS).
Zahavi joined Maccabi last January from Italian side Palermo for just 250,000 Euro and helped the club to its first championship in 10 years last season.
Maccabi is on course to defend its title this season, holding an eight-point gap at the top of the standings with seven matches to play, in large part due to Zahavi’s contribution, with the midfielder scoring 20 league goals for the club so far this term, a feat not achieved by a midfield player since Avi Nimni did so at Maccabi 13 years ago.
“I’m happy to be pledging my future to Maccabi Tel Aviv, a club I am delighted to be part of,” Zahavi told the club’s official website. “This is only the beginning of the road. I would like to thank the management, my fellow teammates and the fans for their faith and support, and I hope to play a role in achieving all of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s goals for the future.”
Zahavi’s release clause to a club in Europe is set to almost double in his new contract, rising to around two million Euros.
“We are delighted to extend Eran’s contract, a player who has been a leader ever since joining Maccabi Tel Aviv in January last year,” said Sports Director Jordi Cruyff. “We see Eran as a very important player to keep so we can continue improving Maccabi Tel Aviv.”