- June 11, 2026
- 10:05 pm
- Israel
Maccabi Haifa wants to keep Georgiy Ermakov for another season
Ukrainian goalkeeper Georgiy Ermakov may become one of the notable transfer intrigues of the Israeli football summer.
Maccabi Haifa is ready to improve the contract terms to keep the goalkeeper at the club for at least another season. Currently, the Ukrainian earns about 200,000 euros a year, and the player’s representatives want to increase the amount at least twice — to 400,000 euros.
The club does not reject this option.
After Ermakov returns to Israel, the parties should meet and try to close the issue of a new agreement. For Maccabi Haifa, the situation is convenient because there is no buyout clause in the goalkeeper’s contract. This means that the club retains control over the negotiations and is not obliged to release the player at the first serious interest from other teams.
And there is interest.
According to Israeli and Ukrainian sports sources, Metalist 1925 from Kharkiv is monitoring Ermakov. Moreover, offers from the Kharkiv club have already been made, but Maccabi Haifa rejected them.
Ermakov: “Right now, I am a Maccabi Haifa player”
Georgiy Ermakov himself, in an interview with Ukrainian “Football 24”, did not firmly close the topic of a possible transfer.
He confirmed that Metalist 1925 is indeed showing interest but emphasized that he does not want to discuss this option in detail yet because the transfer window has just opened.
The phrase was carefully worded but not accidental.
“Right now, I am a Maccabi Haifa player,” said Ermakov, adding that more specifics about the future can be discussed later when the transfer window closes or at least when it becomes clear in which direction the situation is moving.
For the Israeli audience, such wording sounds like a classic position of a footballer who does not want to burn bridges. He does not say he is leaving. But he also does not give a public promise to stay.
And for Maccabi Haifa, this is a signal: if the club really wants to keep the main goalkeeper, the issue needs to be resolved quickly and on clear terms.
The Ukrainian trace in Israeli football is becoming more noticeable
Georgiy Ermakov joined Maccabi Haifa in the summer of 2024, but spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Oleksandriya. With this team, he became the vice-champion of the Ukrainian league.
After returning to Israel, the goalkeeper received serious playing practice.
In the 2025/26 season, Ermakov played 37 matches in all competitions for Maccabi Haifa and kept 12 clean sheets. For a goalkeeper who can still aspire to develop to the level of the adult Ukrainian national team, this is important statistics.
Currently, several lines converge around him: interest from Ukraine, Maccabi Haifa’s desire to keep the player, the financial expectations of agents, and the personal plans of the goalkeeper himself.
Previously, Ermakov had already told people at the club that he could earn significantly more in Ukraine but chose to stay. At the same time, he also hinted that ideally, he would like to move to a stronger European league, and would consider returning to Ukraine more as an option if there are no other opportunities.
For NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, this story is interesting not only as a sports news. It shows how Ukrainian footballers continue to remain part of Israeli football, and Israeli clubs are increasingly finding themselves in the same transfer plane with Ukrainian teams, even against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Why Metalist 1925 is so interested
Kharkiv’s Metalist 1925 is today associated with an ambitious project by Ukrainian billionaire Volodymyr Nosov.
According to the material, Nosov wants to make the club one of the most successful in Ukraine and is ready to invest serious money in it. For Kharkiv, which has been heavily affected by the Russian war, the football project has not only a sports but also a symbolic significance.
Ermakov fits well into such logic.
He is Ukrainian, young, and has already passed through a strong Israeli club. He has experience playing in Ukraine, a season in Oleksandriya, the status of a promising goalkeeper, and potential for the national team. According to Ukrainian publications, he may make a decision about a possible return to Ukraine after the national team training camp ends.
But Metalist 1925 is not the only Ukrainian club looking towards Ermakov.
Dynamo Kyiv is also monitoring, but Haifa is still holding the situation
Interest in the goalkeeper is also maintained by Dynamo Kyiv.
However, as reported, the capital club has not yet made a new offer beyond what was submitted back in January. Metalist 1925, on the other hand, has kept the deal on a “slow burn” in recent months but has clearly indicated: monitoring continues, the desire to sign Ermakov remains.
Maccabi Haifa currently has several arguments.
The first is the absence of a buyout clause. The second is the possibility of raising the salary. The third is Ermakov’s playing role, who has already become a noticeable figure in the lineup. But there is also a risk: if the player feels that the club is dragging its feet with the decision or is not ready to meet his financial expectations, interest from Ukraine may become more dangerous.
Especially if it concerns not only salary but also the future career path.
For a goalkeeper, it is important to understand where he will play consistently, which club will give him development, and which championship will help him get closer to a higher level. The Israeli league can be a good platform, but Ukrainian clubs, especially with ambitious financing, will also try to convince the player.
What will happen next
The main point is Ermakov’s return to Israel and negotiations with Maccabi Haifa.
If the club offers a serious increase and a clear sports role, Haifa will have a good chance to keep the Ukrainian goalkeeper for another season. If the parties do not agree, the topic of Metalist 1925 and possibly Dynamo Kyiv will quickly become more concrete.
Currently, Ermakov has chosen a cautious wording.
He did not say “I am leaving.”
But he also did not say “I am definitely staying.”
That is why his interview in Ukraine became a signal for all market participants: the transfer story is just beginning, and Maccabi Haifa must decide how much it really wants to keep its Ukrainian goalkeeper.
NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency will follow this story because it intersects Israeli football, the Ukrainian market, Kharkiv, Haifa, and the fate of a player who has already become a noticeable part of the 2025/26 season.
FAQ
Who is Georgiy Ermakov?
Georgiy Ermakov is a Ukrainian goalkeeper for Maccabi Haifa. He joined the Israeli club in the summer of 2024, spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Oleksandriya, and played 37 matches for Maccabi Haifa in the 2025/26 season.
How much does Ermakov currently earn at Maccabi Haifa?
According to the publication, his current salary is about 200,000 euros per season. The player’s representatives want to increase the amount to at least 400,000 euros.
Which clubs are interested in Ermakov?
The main interest is mentioned from Metalist 1925 from Kharkiv. Dynamo Kyiv is also monitoring the situation, although no new concrete offer has been made, according to the material.
Why might Maccabi Haifa not release the player?
There is no buyout clause in Ermakov’s contract. This gives Maccabi Haifa more control and allows them to reject offers if the club does not want to sell the goalkeeper.
Will Ermakov stay in Israel?
There is no final decision yet. The player himself said that he is currently a Maccabi Haifa footballer but did not go into detail about the future because the transfer window has just begun.