There will be a fourth Israeli playing his trade in the top level of English football from next season after Maccabi Haifa and Israel midfielder Idan Tal signed a two-year deal with Bolton Wanderers.
Tal who had a two year spell in the Premiership with Everton beginning in 2000, will be able to have a second chance to show his talent on a top stage.
"It’s a day of mixed feelings for me," the 31-year-old said after signing the contract last week. "On the one hand I am very happy, but on the other I am said to be leaving Haifa."
Tal will join Israeli team-mate Tal Ben-Haim at Bolton, and do battle with fellow countrymen Yossi Benayoun and Yaniv Katan when Bolton face West Ham.
Ben-Haim has received rave reviews in England for his defending even though he recently scored an own goal that took Bolton out of European competition.
"Extra flair"
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said he is hoping Tal will bring something different to the team. "He will add extra attacking flair to a midfield already containing quality," Allardyce said.
Allardyce attempted to sign another Benayoun last summer, narrowly losing out on the player’s signature to West Ham United. However he can see similarities between the two players and hopes that Tal settles with compatriot defender Tal Ben Haim.
"Idan reminds me of West Ham’s Yossi Benayoun, and if he makes a similar impact on the Premier League as Benayoun and our own Ben Haim then we will have some player at our disposal."
Tal is on the verge of completing an historic treble for Maccabi Haifa in his now final season. Maccabi won the first leg of their quest last Wednesday by beating Ashdod in the Toto Cup Final 3-0. With the league championship seemingly in the bag,
Tal only has to help his team-mates win the State Cup to attain the treble.
Agent to sue Tal
However, not everything is plain sailing for Tal. Football agent Ronen Katsav intends to sue the player after he signed the contract agreement via another agent.
Katsav claims that he has an exclusivity agreement with Tal, who he has represented for the past eight years.
Tal’s transfer to Bolton on a three-year deal was brokered by David Abu, who was also behind Ben-Haim’s move to the English club from Maccabi Tel Aviv last year.
As well as spending two years at Everton, Tal had a brief loan spell at Spanish club Rayo Vallecano in 2002.He will earn a reported 600,000 Euros a season with Bolton.
