Hapoel Tel Aviv have brought left-back Bilal Shahin in for a trial, giving the 23-year-old a chance to earn a contract after his exit from Kiryat Shmona this summer, ONE reports.
Shahin spent last season as Kiryat Shmona's first-choice left-back, and his form there was good enough that ONE's readers voted him the round's outstanding performer after he shut down winger Dan Biton and helped his side to a clean sheet. His time at the club ended with this summer's transfer window.
He is now training with the Hapoel Tel Aviv squad under head coach Elyaniv Barda, according to the report, with the club's staff using the sessions to judge whether he is worth a contract offer. No decision has been made yet — ONE describes it as a mutual look, with Shahin equally auditioning the club as he searches for his next move.
Financially, the report notes that a permanent deal would be straightforward for Hapoel Tel Aviv: since Shahin came through Kiryat Shmona's development ranks, signing him would require only a training compensation fee to his old club rather than a transfer fee.
If he does earn a contract, Shahin would be competing for playing time with Doron Leidner, the left-back on loan at Hapoel Tel Aviv from Greek club Olympiacos since last season. Leidner, a Hapoel academy product himself before his move to Piraeus, has held down the position for Barda's side.
The trial comes as Hapoel Tel Aviv build out their squad for a season that already includes European football: the Reds advanced through Conference League qualifying over the summer, beating Ludogorets on aggregate, and Barda's coaching staff have been active in assessing depth options across the squad as a result.
There is no confirmed timeline for when a decision on Shahin will be made, and ONE's report stops short of saying a deal is close. For now, the defender remains an unattached player training on trial, hoping to convince Hapoel Tel Aviv's coaching staff before pre-season commitments intensify.
