Hapoel Petah Tikva are already sketching a plan B for their central defence, ONE reports, with the pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk's Diego Arroyo stuck in limbo and the club unwilling to keep the position open indefinitely.
Head coach Omer Peretz is said to strongly want the young Bolivian international, but according to the report Petah Tikva will give the deal only a few more days before actively pursuing other candidates for the role.
The holdup, per ONE, sits in Ukraine rather than Israel. Shakhtar Donetsk had been closing in on a defender from Genoa who would have allowed them to let Arroyo leave on loan, but those talks collapsed, leaving Shakhtar needing to find a fresh replacement before they sanction his move.
Arroyo, a 21-year-old defender who has represented Bolivia at senior level, joined Shakhtar in one of the more notable transfers involving a Bolivian player in recent years. Petah Tikva have been eyeing him as a loan reinforcement for the coming season.
The uncertainty comes at an awkward moment for the club, who lost their most recent preseason outing to Hapoel Ramat Gan and now turn to a home fixture against Maccabi Netanya on Wednesday evening, kicking off at 19:45.
There was more encouraging news out of the treatment room, with Gabon international Alex Musonda back in running work after his injury lay-off. The defender, on loan from Cypriot champions Aris Limassol, is not expected to be rushed back but is targeting a return in time for the start of the league season.
For now, Petah Tikva's business is defined by patience rather than action: Peretz has his preferred target, but with Shakhtar's own reshuffle unresolved, the club's ultimatum on Arroyo is the clearest sign yet that they are not prepared to wait indefinitely to strengthen the back line.
