“Polesie” is once again looking towards Haifa: the Ukrainian football club wants to bring Georgiy Ermakov back from Israel

Zhytomyr’s “Polissya” is preparing for the new season and, according to Ukrainian football sources, is looking for a strong goalkeeper who can immediately strengthen the team. An Israeli connection has appeared in this transfer story: the club is once again considering the option of Ukrainian goalkeeper Georgiy Ermakov, who is currently playing for Maccabi Haifa.

For the Israeli audience, this news is interesting not only because of the football geography. It shows how Ukrainian football continues to keep track of its players abroad, and Israel remains a notable point on the map of Ukrainian sports careers.

Why “Polissya” is looking for a new goalkeeper

According to the Telegram channel Inside UPL, “Polissya” wants to enter the new season with a stronger goalkeeping line. The Zhytomyr club has been trying for several years to establish itself among the ambitious projects of Ukrainian football, so the goalkeeper position becomes one of the key ones for them.

The first option for the club was Nazar Domchak.

He has become one of the sensations of the current season and is considered one of the most notable goalkeepers in the UPL at the moment. His game is highly rated by Ruslan Rotan, and there is already interest from European clubs around the player himself.

But this is where “Polissya” encountered difficulties. If a battle for Domchak has indeed begun, then the financial demands of “Karpaty” may be too high. Even for the ambitious Zhytomyr club, such a deal could be challenging.

Why the option with Georgiy Ermakov arose again

Against this background, “Polissya” returned to a candidate they had already considered last summer. We are talking about Georgiy Ermakov — a Ukrainian goalkeeper who is currently in the Maccabi Haifa system.

The deal did not take place then: the Israeli club did not want to sell the player.

Now the situation, according to sources, has moved again. “Polissya” has already made contact with the player himself. Ermakov, it is claimed, has indicated that he is ready to consider returning to Ukraine, but only under the condition of a strong personal contract.

This is the stage where negotiations are currently at.

What this means for Israel and Ukrainian football

Ermakov’s story is interesting because it connects several football directions at once: Ukraine, Israel, and the European transfer market. For Ukrainian clubs, players performing abroad often remain a clear and valuable option — they know the Ukrainian school, can adapt faster, and do not require a long period of cultural acclimatization.

But returning from Israel to Ukraine now is not just a sports question.

The player needs to assess the level of the championship, financial conditions, safety, prospects for playing practice, and role in the team. For a goalkeeper, this is especially important: if the club is looking for a “number one,” the contract can be attractive. If it’s just about competition, the decision becomes more difficult.

NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency notes that such transfer stories are important for the Russian-speaking audience in Israel. They show that sports connections between Ukraine and Israel continue to work even against the backdrop of war, migration, market changes, and new economic conditions in football.

Why “Maccabi” Haifa may not be in a hurry

For “Maccabi” Haifa, the question does not seem simple either. The Israeli club must understand whether Ermakov is needed in its own structure, whether there are plans for him, and what financial sense a possible transfer has.

If last summer the club did not want to sell the goalkeeper, it means that in Haifa they saw him as a resource or did not receive a suitable offer.

Now much will depend on the amount, the player’s own position, and “Polissya’s” readiness to make not just a request, but a real offer. In transfers of this level, a personal contract often becomes as important as the agreement between clubs.

At what stage is the transfer

So far, it is not about a completed deal. According to available information, “Polissya” is showing interest, contact with the player has already been made, but there is no final decision.

The key question is money.

Ermakov is ready to return to Ukraine only if there is a financially strong personal contract. This means that the Zhytomyr club needs to convince not only “Maccabi” Haifa but also the player himself.

For “Polissya,” such a transfer could look logical: a Ukrainian goalkeeper, experience abroad, understandable adaptation, potential strengthening of an important position. But for now, this is precisely a negotiation story, not an announced transfer.

Now the club needs to decide whether it is ready to invest in Ermakov or continue to look for alternatives in the Ukrainian and European markets. The goalkeeper position does not tolerate haste, but delaying it before the new season is risky.