Khalaili Breaks Silence After Failed Inter Move: 'I've Played 99 Games, Finished Almost All of Them'

Anan Khalaili has broken his silence over the collapse of what would have been the biggest transfer in Israeli football history, telling ONE this week that he is back training at full intensity and feels ready for "what awaits" him.

"I'm returning to full training to prepare for what awaits me, I feel fit and happy to be back on the pitch," the winger said, in his first extended comments since his move to Inter Milan fell apart.

The 21-year-old's transfer to the Italian champions, reported at around €23 million and set to eclipse anything paid for an Israeli player before him, unravelled in mid-July when he failed to clear the medical fitness screening required for registration in Italy. Ynetnews, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post all confirmed Inter called off the deal after the examinations, carried out under the Italian Olympic Committee's (CONI) sports-medicine protocol, flagged a cardiac finding that blocks clearance to compete professionally in Italy.

Crucially, that ruling is specific to Italy's unusually strict registration rules and does not affect Khalaili's ability to play elsewhere. He remains free to turn out for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium without restriction, and the Belgian champions are expected to run their own medical assessment on his return.

In the ONE interview, Khalaili was adamant the setback has not shaken his confidence. "I'm always focused on my career and always believed in myself, I'll continue to give my best," he said.

He then pointed to his own workload as evidence of his physical condition: "I feel good, healthy, in excellent condition and ready to play and train hard to give 100 percent. I played 99 games in the last two years, completed 90 minutes in almost all of them. I feel excellent."

The two-year window covers almost exactly his time in Belgium. Khalaili joined Union Saint-Gilloise from Maccabi Haifa in July 2024, having come through the Haifa academy and made his senior breakthrough there. He has since become a regular starter for Union and a full Israel international.

His father, Majdi Khalaili, is a former Arab-Israeli goalkeeper and manager, and Anan has often spoken of growing up around the game through him.

For now, Khalaili's immediate future stays in Brussels. With the Italian market effectively closed to him under CONI's current standards, his representatives are expected to weigh interest from clubs outside Italy in the weeks ahead, but no fresh move has been confirmed.