Manor Solomon

Born in Kfar Saba, Israel, Solomon played youth football for Maccabi Petah Tikva and made his first professional appearance for the club at age 17 in 2016.[5][1] Just over two years later, he moved to Shakhtar Donetsk, beginning the Ukrainian phase of his European career.[5]

In UEFA Champions League play, Solomon scored against Real Madrid in Shakhtar's 3–2 away victory.[5] At age 20, he became the youngest Israeli to score in the competition when he recorded his first Champions League goal.[3]

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 brought a sudden end to Solomon's time at Shakhtar. He described his escape as a 17-hour journey to the Polish border, followed by a wait of more than 10 hours in freezing conditions before he was able to return to Israel.[3] Recalling the moment the invasion began, he said: "I woke up to the sound of explosions and sirens. It was like being in the middle of a movie," and added, "I feel lucky I got out."[3]

Solomon joined Fulham on a temporary one-year deal under a FIFA rule that allowed non-Ukrainian players employed in Ukraine to suspend their contracts.[3] His Sephardic heritage enabled him to obtain a Portuguese passport, which facilitated his movement within the European Union.[3] After recovering from a knee injury, he scored in five consecutive Fulham matches from February 11 through March 6, becoming the first Israeli since Liverpool's Ronny Rosenthal, who scored in three straight matches in 1992, to assemble a comparable run.[3]

In July 2023, Solomon signed a five-year deal with Tottenham Hotspur; Israeli agent Pini Zahavi negotiated the move.[5][6] At the time of the signing, he had made 35 appearances for Israel's senior national team and scored seven international goals.[5]

Solomon called the transfer "a dream come true" and said he was joining a club operating "at the top, at the highest level."[5] The move was described as a step up to one of the Premier League's traditionally prominent clubs.[6]

During the 2024–25 season, Solomon joined Leeds United on loan from Tottenham and became central to their promotion campaign.[4] His most celebrated contribution came in the final match of the season against Plymouth Argyle: with the scores level, he struck the winning goal in the 91st minute to seal a 2–1 victory, clinching the Championship title and Leeds's return to the Premier League.[4] Leeds finished the season with 100 points, level with Burnley but ahead on goal difference.[4][7]

Solomon ended the campaign with 10 Championship goals and between 12 and 13 assists, depending on the source, along with 13 goals in all competitions.[4][7] Leeds won 22 of the 31 matches he started, a win rate of 71%, and he contributed three goals and six assists in his final six appearances alone.[7]

Following his successful Leeds loan, Solomon spent time on loan with Villarreal in Spain and Fiorentina in Italy. He spent the second half of the 2025–26 season in Florence, scoring two goals in 16 league appearances.[2]

In August 2026, Solomon permanently joined West Ham United from Tottenham for a reported £5 million fee, becoming a member of his fourth English club.[2] West Ham had been relegated from the Premier League and was preparing to compete in the Championship.[2] At the time of the move, he had made 49 appearances for Israel's senior national team and scored eight international goals.[2] On completing the transfer, he said: "I'm really happy to be here, happy to be a Hammer, and I can't wait to get started," adding that he wanted to remain at the club for a long time and make the fans happy.[2]

Solomon's career has produced several milestones for Israeli football. At age 20, he became the youngest Israeli to score in the UEFA Champions League.[3] With Fulham, he scored in five consecutive matches, becoming the first Israeli since Ronny Rosenthal's three-match sequence in 1992 to assemble a comparable run.[3] His 91st-minute winner against Plymouth Argyle gave Leeds the 2024–25 Championship title and promotion to the Premier League.[4]

By joining West Ham, Solomon followed Israeli players Eyal Berkovic, Yossi Benayoun, Tal Ben-Haim and Yaniv Katan, all of whom had previously represented the London club.[2]

In September 2025, while on loan at Villarreal, Solomon was subjected to chants of "Israelis are murderers" from supporters during a match against Sevilla.[8] The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain condemned the abuse as "intolerable," stating: "Hate and discrimination have no place in sport or society."[8] The incident occurred in the broader context of the conflict in Gaza; Solomon had expressed support on social media for Israel's military actions while telling Villarreal supporters that he did not wish to discuss politics.[8]