Israeli Soccer Player Manor Solomon Signs With Leeds United on Season-Long Loan Deal

Leeds United confirmed on Tuesday that Israeli soccer player Manor Solomon has joined the English soccer team on a season-long loan deal from the Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Solomon, who was born in a Sephardic Jewish family in Israel, will wear the number 14 jersey for Leeds United. He began his professional soccer career with the Israeli Premier League soccer team Maccabi Petah Tikvah in 2017. Two years later he was signed by the Ukrainian soccer team Shakhtar Donetsk. He helped the Ukrainian club win the Ukrainian Premier League twice, as well as the Ukrainian Cup and the Ukrainian Super Cup. He also competed in the UEFA Champions League, the top soccer competition in Europe – during his three seasons with Shakhtar, and became the the youngest Israeli to score in the UEFA Champions League when he scored a goal in Shakhtar’s group-stage game against Atalanta in October 2019.

“I am really happy to be here,” said Solomon, 25, who is the sixth player to be signed this summer by Leeds United. “I’ve heard a lot about the club, about its fans, about the heritage, the history. I know it’s a massive club in England and I’m looking forward to seeing the fans and to meet them all.”

“As soon as the interest from Leeds came, I started to look for the players, for the coach and I’ve spoken with the manager and he explained to me about the style of playing, about the players that there are in Leeds,” Solomon added. “I know there is a group of great lads, young people with great desire, with great techniques and I’m looking forward to playing with them and to help them in the best way I can. I just want to get going.”

In July 2022, after fleeing Ukraine at the start of the country’s war with Russia, Solomon moved to the west London side Fulham on a season-long loan deal from Shakhtar. He made 24 appearances and scored five goals in five consecutive games while playing for Fulham. He was also nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month award.

Solomon joined Tottenham Hotspur as a forward on a five-year deal in July 2023. His last season was cut short in September due to an injury but he returned to play for the Spurs in pre-season earlier this summer. Solomon said this week, “now I am fit and I’m ready to go, I’m ready to show myself again.”

“I’m ready to go back to the biggest levels again and hopefully we’ll have a great season here at Leeds,” he said. “We have one goal and everyone knows our goal, hopefully we’ll do it together.”