Maccabi Haifa completed the most expensive deal in its history over the weekend, when it acquired striker Franzi Piero for 1.6 million euros from French Gangan.
This is not just the transfer amount.
Club president Yaakov Shachar will pay a Haitian player $ 440,000 in a three-year contract, with the Greens having the option to extend the 27-year-old striker's contract for another year.
For more than two weeks, in Haifa they did everything to bring Piero to Carmel.
In the player's environment, he admitted that at the beginning he was not really enthusiastic about receiving an offer (which was upgraded over time) from the Israeli champion.
He aimed for teams in the first division in France, but even when these offers came, no team promised him what Gal Alberman and Barak Bachar intended for him in the team they built in the Israeli champion.
Alberman and Piero.
A large role is assigned to him, Photo: Maccabi Haifa
His agent told of an offer from Saint-Etienne, a big name in France, but a club relegated to the second division.
At the same time, Haifa improved its offer to striker several times, until it came to being one of the top earners on the roster and receiving twice his salary last season at Gangan.
In Haifa, the turning point is marked in the middle of last week.
Last season's defender, Michel Alphonse, spoke to Piero and made it clear to him: "You are missing an opportunity to play in a big club. They have an audience like the big clubs in France, a new stadium and conditions at the highest level there is."
Alphonse, by the way, signed with Ajaccio at the weekend, who was promoted to the first French league, but recommended to Piero to sign in Haifa.
Carmel said that since the conversation things have moved faster.
The agreement was reached on Wednesday after the club explained to Piero that they wanted him before take-off to the training camp in the Netherlands, all in order to prepare him as best he could for the first game against Olympiacos on 20.7.
Piero received the number 9 shirt in Haifa, which Ben Shehar wore last season.
The latter is injured and will receive the number 14 shirt he previously wore.
Shahar agreed to give up his previous number, which also had a difficult season for him.
We took care of you for a peaceful Saturday 💚
WELCOME FRANTZDY ⚽️ >>> https://t.co/9FXpyKQsaA pic.twitter.com/0XmdWO5VY8
- Maccabi Haifa FC (@mhfootballclub) July 1, 2022 Wrong?
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