Nigel Lonwijk signs three-year deal with Maccabi Haifa: "I come with a great hunger"

Dutch-Surinamese defender Nigel Lonwijk officially signed a three-year contract today, Friday, with Maccabi Haifa after being purchased from the English club Wolverhampton. Following the signing, he told the club's official website:

"I am happy to sign with the biggest club in Israel and wear the green uniform. I come with a great hunger to succeed, to work hard, and to help the team achieve all its goals this season."

His dream is to emulate Virgil van Dijk. Sports director Lior Refaelov added:

"We are happy to add Nigel to the club. This is a defender we have been following for several months, and we believe he fits exactly our path and style of play. Nigel is a technical, fast, and aggressive player who grew up in one of the best academies in the world and gained experience in England. We are sure he will integrate quickly, connect with the players and the crowd, and contribute a lot to us. We wish him great success."

Lonwijk was acquired by Wolverhampton in July 2020 from PSV Eindhoven and has since spent time on loan at several lower-league English clubs, including Plymouth, Huddersfield, and Luton. In total, he recorded 104 appearances in the UK, scoring five goals and providing three assists. Following the end of the 2025/26 season, his loan at Luton concluded, and the 1.90m tall defender returned to the Wolves, participating in the club's pre-season training. Lonwijk also has 13 caps for the Netherlands U16 national team.