Olivier Verdon: Maccabi Netanya linked with experienced defender

Benin-France defender Olivier Verdon, who is without a club, is being linked with a move to Israeli side Maccabi Netanya in the Ligat ha’Al.

Verdon, 30, left Bulgarian club Ludogorets on 5 September after more than five years with the Razgrad side. He made two appearances in the Bulgarian top flight this season, playing 92 minutes in total, before his departure.

The centre-back joined Ludogorets from Spanish club Alaves in July 2021 for a reported €1m. During his time in Bulgaria, he won five Bulgarian league titles, with his most recent championship coming in the 2024-25 season.

He also helped Ludogorets win the Bulgarian Super Cup in 2025-26, adding to four previous successes in the competition. The club’s achievements represent the most decorated period of Verdon’s senior career.

Maccabi Netanya are the club currently linked with the defender, with the proposed move taking him to Israel’s top division. Verdon’s recorded playing position is centre-back and he is right-footed.

The rumour emerges while Verdon is unattached following his departure from Ludogorets, where he had been registered at the beginning of the 2026-27 campaign.