Hélio Varela, aged 23, has opted to join Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, turning down an offer from FK Akron Togliatti in Russia. Negotiations are ongoing to finalize the transfer by the week's end. Gent invested over 3 million euros for Varela's acquisition a year ago, but his market value has since declined due to limited playing opportunities. The Cape Verdean winger faced challenges in making a significant impact last season and, despite a brief resurgence during the pre-season, he again found himself out of the first team lineup. Maccabi Tel Aviv is eager to finalize the deal quickly, with the goal of closing it before the week concludes. Varela's contract with Gent is valid until 2028, and his current market value is assessed by Transfermarkt at €1.20 million.