Haziza Agrees Terms to Join Maccabi Netanya, Ending Seven Years at Haifa

Dolev Haziza is heading to Maccabi Netanya. The Ligat Ha'al winger has agreed personal terms on a two-year contract that will end his seven-year run at Maccabi Haifa, according to a report from ONE on Tuesday, corroborated by Israel Hayom, Sport5 and Walla Sport.

Haifa placed the 30-year-old captain, whose existing contract still had a year to run, on its list of players cleared for departure this summer. That opened the door for Netanya's new head coach, Roni Levy, to make his move.

Israel Hayom reported that it was a single phone call from Levy - who wants Haziza to lead his forward line - that tipped the balance, after the winger had wavered for weeks over whether to try his luck abroad instead of staying in Israel.

Family considerations, including young children, together with his age, were understood to have weighed on his decision to remain in the Israeli league rather than search for a move overseas, per Sport5's reporting.

The formal unveiling has not yet happened. Under Jewish custom, no signing ceremony or official club announcement takes place before the Tisha B'Av fast concludes, so Netanya are working through the last details with a presentation expected once the fast ends this week.

Small gaps over salary were reportedly narrowing between Haziza's representatives and the Netanya hierarchy, with both sides hopeful of closing them within days so the move can be completed and announced.

For Haifa, it marks the end of an era. Haziza joined the club in 2019 and rose to become its captain, lifting three Ligat Ha'al championships - in 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 - after earlier winning two State Cups with Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv.

He remains part of the national team picture as well, with 18 caps for Israel since his debut against Poland in a Euro 2020 qualifier in November 2019. Haziza also holds French citizenship through family ties.

For Levy, who took over at Netanya on an 18-month contract, landing an experienced, title-winning attacker gives his rebuilding project immediate substance heading into the new Ligat Ha'al season.