Until a few months ago, few knew who Lior Casa was.
A young 18-year-old midfielder from Hapoel Jerusalem, who is now at the center of the January transfer window, when the two biggest players in Israeli football, Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel-Aviv, are following him.
Maccabi Haifa was the first to approach Casa, who plays as a midfielder with the option of playing on the line as well.
The close relationship between the professional manager, Gal Alberman, and his counterpart at Hapoel Jerusalem, Shai Aharon, helped advance the deal, which was initially estimated at 900,000 euros.
Yesterday the two met, but the deal was not closed.
Cassa.
Where will he sign?, Photo: Danny Maron
This meeting was followed by a phone call from Ben Mansford who pulled the actor towards Kiryat Shalom.
Haifa's scouting system marked Casa even before he made a senior appearance and the fact that he was under the radar helped them.
So that's it, from Haifa's point of view it was impossible to close the deal quietly.
Lior Kassa's agent is none other than Avi Zahavi, the brother of Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Eran Zahavi. The agent previously interested Maccabi Tel Aviv in Kassa's services, but the move did not progress too far.
Now, when it was understood that Maccabi Haifa was also in the picture, the Yellows submitted an offer that includes money and the transfer of players to the team from the capital.
Maccabi Tel Aviv reminded Hapoel Jerusalem of the long list of players they received from them over the past two years: Eduardo Guerrero, Nadav Nidam, Matan Hozz, Or Roizman and others.
All of these, plus the connection of the Zahavi family, exert heavy pressure on Hapoel Jerusalem to sell their young talent to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi Haifa are ready to raise the offer to 1.2 million euros, or lower the amount and loan young players such as Hamza Shibli and others.
Ben Mansford.
He is also in the picture, photo: Alan Shiver
Now, the ball is in the hands of Hapoel Jerusalem, which will have to make a strategic decision.
The friendship and professional partnership between Gal Alberman and Shai Aharon, who made a common path in the field of professional management, or the warm relationship with Maccabi Tel Aviv plus the fact that Avi Zahavi is Lior Casa's agent.
The young midfielder has only 504 minutes in the Premier League, most of them as a substitute and this season he also managed to play in the youth team of Hapoel Jerusalem.
In his 11 appearances under Ziv Aryeh.
He has one assist in the victory over Hapoel Hadera.
It may be that soon he will be measured much more in numbers, because Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv have completely different aspirations.
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Lior Casa.
The quarrel actor, photo: Danny Maron
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