Zahavi completes Israeli football record transfer

Eran Zahavi has completed his record move to Chinese football club club Guangzhou R&F.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will receive £5.9 million for Zahavi, the largest transfer involving an Israeli club, while the 28-year-old will earn an estimated £9.2 million over the next two-and-a-half years, as well as a £14,800 bonus for each goal he scores.

Writing on Instagram, he said: “Today I start a new chapter in my career, I decided to post a photo of myself in a Maccabi Tel Aviv shirt because the first thing I want to do is to thank the club for the most amazing and beautiful three-and-a-half years of my career.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv sports director Jordi Cruyff said: “Firstly a big thank you to Eran for the 3.5 amazing years at Maccabi Tel Aviv, hard work and ambition always pays off and should be a lesson to everyone. We are all saddened by Eran’s departure and will miss him greatly. I wish him all the best and hope that one day he will come home to Maccabi again.”

Zahavi leaves the club after three-and-a-half years, during which time, he helped the club to three league titles, one State Cup and a Toto Cup. Also helping the side to the last 32 of the Europa League and to last season’s group stages of the Champions League, he scored 134 goals in 168 matches.