Jelle Bataille left Antwerp after the club failed to activate an option in his contract on time and could not agree on a new contract. Bataille wanted a multi-year contract, but Antwerp only offered one year. He left the club as a free agent and signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Haifa. The transfer was influenced by the presence of Lior Refaelov, the head scout, and Abdoulaye Seck, a former teammate, who spoke positively about the club and Israel. Transfermarkt currently estimates his market worth at 2.50 million euros.