The biggest deal in Israeli football: Anan Khalaili signed with Crystal Palace
Anan Khalaili has taken the biggest step of his career by signing with Crystal Palace for a record-breaking 21 million pounds. The 21-year-old winger joins the Premier League club on a five-year deal.
Anan Khalaili took the biggest step of his career today (Monday) and signed with Crystal Palace of the Premier League. The Israeli winger joins the English club in a deal that will see Palace pay Union Saint-Gilloise 21 million pounds, a sum that makes Khalaili the most expensive Israeli footballer in history. Khalaili signed a five-year contract, with an option for an additional season.
The move to the Premier League comes after prolonged negotiations regarding Khalaili's future, who was sought after by several clubs in Europe, including Italy's Inter, but the deal with them was cancelled after the player did not pass the medical examinations successfully. Ultimately, Crystal Palace managed to complete the deal and add to its ranks one of the most prominent talents to emerge in Israeli football in recent years. For Khalaili, this is a significant step up, as he will now try to prove himself on one of the biggest and most competitive stages in the world.
The 21-year-old winger arrives in England after a peak season at Union Saint-Gilloise. Khalaili recorded 46 appearances in all competitions, 44 of them in the starting lineup, and accumulated almost 3,800 minutes of play. He has six goals and five assists to his name, and during the season he managed to significantly expand his repertoire and transform from a pure attacking player into a more versatile player, who can also function in the right-back position.
In the Belgian league, Khalaili recorded three goals and five assists in 38 appearances, but he left the biggest impression in the Champions League. The Israeli scored three goals in seven appearances in the competition, including a brace against Marseille in December, and was even included by ESPN in the team of the league phase. Khalaili arrived at Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer of 2024 from Maccabi Haifa, and within a short time became a sought-after name in the European market. Now he arrives at Crystal Palace, which will try to benefit from his ability on the wing and the versatility he has shown in recent years.
