Hapoel Tel Aviv Cautious Regarding Douglas Owusu Deal
Hapoel Tel Aviv has agreed on terms to acquire Douglas Owusu from Red Star Belgrade, but the club is waiting for the results of comprehensive medical examinations scheduled for Tuesday before finalizing the transfer.
Hapoel Tel Aviv is expressing caution regarding the deal to acquire Douglas Owusu from Red Star Belgrade and will wait for the results of the comprehensive medical examinations that the player will undergo today, Tuesday.
The terms with the player and Red Star are closed. If the tests are passed successfully, Owusu will officially sign and join the Reds, being purchased for over 2 million euros. This is a complex deal that is also related to the Loizos Loizou deal, with Red Star retaining a percentage of rights.
On a professional level, Owusu plays in the right-wing position, and as with Loizos Loizou at the time, the goal is for him to play in the number 10 position, swap places with Stav Turiel during the game, and even play behind the striker.
Regarding the medical tests the player underwent in Plzen, his representatives claimed that he was treated unfairly over an old injury in order to back out of a deal the Czechs were not sure about. At the same time, the Reds are not taking risks, and only after comprehensive tests will it become clear whether Owusu will be a Hapoel Tel Aviv player.
The 20-year-old Ghanaian was purchased by the Serbian champion last January for 2.2 million euros and was on the verge of moving to the Czech Viktoria Plzen this summer for 3.3 million euros, but failed the medical tests. The Reds are aware of the issue and will perform comprehensive medical tests on Tuesday. If everything goes well, he will be signed.
Recall that last summer Hapoel Tel Aviv purchased Daniel Daffa from Maccabi Netanya for 1.8 million euros, plus bonuses reaching 2 million, so there is a possibility of a new club record.
Owusu was not included in Red Star's squad for the Champions League qualifiers against Hapoel Be'er Sheva and has not yet played this season, so if he signs soon, he will be able to be registered for the Conference League playoffs, if and when Hapoel Tel Aviv qualifies for it.
Owusu began his career at the Askem FC team in his homeland, from where he moved to the Serbian Radnik Surdulica in the summer of 2024. In his first season in Europe, he scored two goals in 32 league matches, but started the second one with a bang with seven goals in 20 matches and was therefore purchased by Red Star, to which he contributed two goals in 12 league matches. In Serbia, they were impressed by his speed, and in the "Telegraph" it was written:
"An extremely fast and explosive player... with his movement he poses a significant threat to the opponent's defenses... and at the same time displays a high technical level, which blends well with his speed."
