On January 13, 2020, Ilai Almkeys signed a contract with the Hoffenheim alumni team until 2023. “Ilai has a lot of potential,” said the club’s professional director at the time, Alexander Rosen, About who was marked as the future star of Israeli football. But while he saw his Israeli team-mate, Moanes Dabour, get chances and score goals, Almkeys did not find his place in the German team.
Hoffenheim heads and the Israeli midfielder realized that he was not expected to have significant playing minutes in the near future, and it was decided to loan him out in September 2020 to Dan Haach from the bottom of the Dutch league. Almkeys hoped to break into the Dutch club, but even there things did not go as he had hoped – he is a partner in only 10 games, and recorded 479 minutes in total this season.
Today (Wednesday) the Israeli talent won an article in the German “Kicker”, where they addressed the complex situation in which the player is: “Instead of advancing on the fireplace, the move took Almkeys a step back, it’s a wasted season for the player.”
It is important to note that the player, to his credit already 6 appearances and a goal for the Israeli team, fell ill in Corona earlier this season, and also experienced a heel injury. Following these the acclimatization in the Dutch team was never completed, and the disappointed Almkeys experienced a weak season. The team itself, by the way, is on the safe path to relegation to the sub-league.
In any case, Germany believes that Almkeys will have another chance at Hoffenheim, to which he is expected to return next season: “Although he has not developed at all in terms of football this season, it is likely that the Israeli midfielder will return to Hoffenheim and get a new opportunity to make an impact.”
