Maccabi Netanya have strengthened their Youth A squad ahead of the new season, agreeing a three-year contract with defender Nitai Gigi, ONE reports.
Gigi, who plays in the 2010 age group, is not a stranger at the club — he previously spent time in Maccabi Netanya's academy at Under-15 level before moving on, and his new deal marks a return rather than a first arrival.
His youth path has taken in several clubs. Gigi began at Hapoel Yokneam before switching to Maccabi Haifa's Nahalal-based youth setup at Under-12 level, then featured for Nahalal Yizrael's inaugural Under-11 side, before a spell with Maccabi Netanya's Under-15s and, most recently, Nahalal Yizrael's 2010 age group.
That last stint produced a strong campaign. Gigi made 28 appearances for Nahalal Yizrael last season, starting 22 of them and playing the full 90 minutes in 17, while scoring once and picking up four yellow cards, according to ONE.
The team's season had late drama of its own — Nahalal Yizrael secured their place in the top division with a 2-1 away win over Hapoel Haifa, the report noted.
Gigi's agent, Itzik Tapiro, represented him in negotiating the move back to Netanya.
The club's Youth A squad enters the new season looking to build on a mixed 2025/26 campaign, in which it finished fifth in the premier youth league and lost the cup final 1-6 to Hapoel Tel Aviv. The squad is currently at a training camp in Bulgaria under coach Yuval Akiva.
