Rotem Piumi is about to find out what senior football feels like. The 20-year-old forward, raised through Maccabi Petah Tikva's youth ranks, has signed with Maccabi Kiryat Malachi of Liga Alef South, the club announced on Tuesday.
Piumi spent three seasons in Maccabi Petah Tikva's youth divisions before breaking into the first team, where he featured for a season and a half. He then moved on to Hapoel Ra'anana, where over another season and a half he scored 11 goals — the kind of return that persuaded Kiryat Malachi to bring him south.
According to ONE, Piumi is the third player Kiryat Malachi have signed out of Hapoel Ra'anana's ranks this window, following goalkeeper Lior Shauer and defender Sahar Ruitman through the door.
"I'm happy to sign with the club and be part of the family," Piumi said. "Thank you for the trust — I'm looking forward to repaying it on the pitch and helping the team reach its goals, God willing."
The move comes as Kiryat Malachi prepare for a fourth straight season in Liga Alef South, Israel's third tier, under new ownership after businessman Ezra Lati took over the club, with Tzvika Levi staying on as head coach.
Kiryat Malachi reached Liga Alef South via the promotion playoffs and play their home games at the modest Nino Stadium, which holds around 1,000 spectators. For a player only now stepping into senior football full-time, it is a fitting stage to make his mark before, potentially, bigger clubs come calling.
