Maccabi Haifa's summer rebuild at the back has a name and a face: Nigel Lonwijk, the 23-year-old Dutch defender, landed in Israel this week to complete his move to the reigning champions, ONE reports.
The transfer sees Maccabi pay Wolverhampton Wanderers around €600,000 for a player who has spent the last several seasons out on loan rather than featuring for the Premier League club itself, and who now signs a three-year contract in Haifa.
Lonwijk, of Surinamese-Dutch background, stands 1.90 metres and is described by ONE as quick, comfortable on the ball and blessed with a strong right foot despite being deployed mainly on the left side of defence. The club sees him as capable of playing left-back, filling in at right-back, or slotting into a back three when required.
He arrives having spent last season on loan at Luton Town, who competed in England's third tier, League One, after successive relegations from the Premier League. According to ONE's report, Lonwijk made 45 appearances there in all competitions, scored twice and picked up nine yellow cards.
That run of playing time is precisely why Maccabi moved for him: after several loan spells away from Molineux — including earlier stints at Fortuna Sittard, Plymouth Argyle, Grasshopper, Wycombe Wanderers and Huddersfield Town — Lonwijk built a track record of regular football without ever nailing down a place at Wolves themselves.
For Maccabi Haifa, the deal is described as their fourth signing of the summer, part of a wider reshaping of the squad that won last season's title and now has continental football and a title defence to prepare for.
The Israeli champions have been active reinforcing several areas of the pitch this window, and a mobile, left-sided defender with Championship-level experience fits a squad that needs both quality and depth heading into a demanding season.
Formal confirmation from Maccabi Haifa of the fee and contract terms, along with any presentation of the new signing, is expected to follow now that Lonwijk is in the country.
