Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Georgy Ermakov commented on the interest from Metalist 1925: the offer was serious, but the priority is the season in Israel

The Ukrainian market is once again looking towards the Israeli Premier League. Goalkeeper Maccabi Haifa Georgiy Ermakov confirmed: interest from Kharkiv’s Metalist 1925 indeed existed, at a level that in football is considered substantial.

Talks about the possible return of the 23-year-old goalkeeper to the UPL have been ongoing for more than a week. However, the player himself suggests approaching them without unnecessary romance — career decisions are made not by emotions, but by a balance of circumstances.

What Ermakov said about the Kharkiv option

According to the footballer, the interest was serious. But any transfer is always a combination of factors: club positions, financial aspects, coaching staff plans, and the current season’s situation.

His words are quoted by Ukrainian Football on February 15, 2026.

Contacts were between clubs, not directly with the coach

Ermakov clarified that he had no personal communication with Kharkiv’s head coach Mladen Bartulovic, despite positive public assessments in his favor.

Key negotiations, as usually happens at this level, were conducted between the team managements.

“It’s important to maintain professionalism”

The goalkeeper emphasized separately: the offer looked good, the conditions — decent. But in a profession where a career can turn in any direction in one match, it’s important to stay focused on the work here and now.

This is exactly how his current position is formulated.

In Israeli football, such caution is considered the norm. NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency regularly notes that players performing in the country are increasingly in the orbit of attention of Ukrainian and European clubs, but publicly almost always prioritize obligations to the current contract.

Possible return to the UPL: an open door, but without deadlines

Ermakov did not close the topic of the future. In football, according to him, predicting ahead is pointless.

If the interest remains and the positions of the parties coincide — the transfer is possible. But this is a formula without dates and guarantees.

Currently, the priority is “Maccabi Haifa”

At the moment, the goalkeeper emphasizes: all attention is focused on the current season and on maximizing the benefit for the team.

Such a response is important for fans in Israel, where squad stability is perceived as a factor in the fight for titles and European competition tasks.

Season numbers and contract situation

Ermakov’s performance in this championship is clear and easily verifiable.

In the 2025/26 season, he played 25 matches for Maccabi Haifa, conceded 25 goals, and kept a “clean sheet” in 11 matches. For a goalkeeper of his age, this is a statistic that maintains market interest but does not create pressure on the club.

The player’s contract with the Israelis is valid until the end of June 2027. According to the Transfermarkt portal, the estimated value of the player is about 2.5 million euros.

Previous Ukrainian stage

Before returning to Israel, his last Ukrainian team was Oleksandriya — 41 matches, initially on a permanent basis, then on loan.

At the end of June 2025, Ermakov returned to the Haifa club system, where he received the current volume of playing practice.

Now headlines are appearing around his name again, but inside the locker room, the logic is simpler: the season continues, points are counted every week, and any talks about the future will only make sense when the interests of all parties coincide.

In professional football, this is the only truly working formula.