Dor Turgeman, a 21-year-old Israeli striker from Maccabi Tel Aviv, was formally revealed by the New England Revolution on Wednesday. The signing will give the team a late-season boost up front and a promising young player for the future.
It took a few days for all parties to negotiate, and Rangers of the Scottish Premiership were among Turgeman’s suitors. According to Sky Sports, the Revolution completed the transaction by allegedly paying Maccabi Tel Aviv a $6 million transfer fee, along with $1 million in add-ons and a 25% sell-on clause. Turgeman will fill one of the U22 Initiative spots on the roster and has a contract with the Revolution through 2028 with a 2029 club option, however his pay is not yet made public.
After U.S. national team goalkeeper Matt Turner joined the Revolution on loan from Olympique Lyonnais as a Designated Player on August 1, Turgeman is the second high-profile addition this summer.
One of the reasons New England is 11 points adrift of a wild card berth in the Eastern Conference playoff race is that the team’s corps of attackers hasn’t produced a reliable scorer this season (7-12-7, 28 points). Mathematically, the Revolution are still in the running for a postseason berth, but even with Turgeman’s acquisition, they still have eight games left, beginning on Saturday night when they host the Columbus Crew.
Turgeman wasn’t bought to just take a position on the roster, even though his presence addresses the need for more attacking depth. He is here to score goals, something the Revolution has occasionally struggled to do. With 33 goals this season, the squad is in the bottom third of MLS teams in terms of scoring.
Turgeman has made 114 appearances for Maccabi Tel Aviv in all competitions, tallying 32 goals and 10 assists. It’s unclear if he will maintain his form in Major League Soccer, but Revolution captain Carles Gil, who leads the team with nine goals and nine assists, will be at his disposal as one of the top opportunity creators in the league.
Despite Turgeman’s signing, Leonardo Campana, who the Revolution purchased for $2.5 million from Inter Miami CF during the winter, is still a starter, head coach Caleb Porter told the Herald at practice this week. Although Campana has scored three goals in his previous five games, he has struggled all season to convert opportunities.
In addition to Rangers and the Revolution, Turgeman had interest from teams outside of MLS, including VfL Wolfsburg and Leeds United. He made his international debut at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, when he helped lead Israel to an unprecedented semifinal berth with a goal against Brazil in the quarterfinals.
Additionally, he is establishing himself as a mainstay with the senior squad, which is now engaged in a competitive bid to earn a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Although Israel’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup are still alive, Turgeman has made ten appearances for the senior team and scored in a 4-2 loss to Norway in March.
The Revolution has been making significant investments in international attacking talent recently, and Turgeman’s arrival continues this trend. He may be the team’s third-most expensive striker signing ever, according to reports, even though the club doesn’t reveal transfer fees.
The Revolution have established a reputation for nurturing up-and-coming talent both at home and abroad and transferring them to more prestigious European clubs. Djordje Petrovic, a Serbian goalkeeper who currently starts for Bournemouth in the English Premier League, was signed by Chelsea in 2023 for an estimated $20 million after being acquired by New England from FK Ukari Ki for just $1 million the previous season. Tajon Buchanan, a 2017 MLS SuperDraft selection, went to Club Brugge for $7 million in 2021; Adam Buksa, a Polish striker, went to RC Lens for $10 million in 2022 (after joining the Revolution for $4.5 million from Poland’s Pogon Szczecin); and Esmir Bajraktarevic, a homegrown winger, went to Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven earlier this year for $6 million.
After playing for Inter Milan and now Villarreal, Buchanan represented Canada in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Buksa has played in Denmark, France, and Turkey. It is said that he is on the verge of joining Udinese in Serie A in Italy.
Joining current fullback and national team teammate Ilay Feingold, who joined the Revolution this winter as a U-22 Initiative signing, Turgeman is the second Israeli player in Revolution history.
Feingold was once with Turgeman’s old team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, which was in competition with Maccabi Haifa. The two teams are the most distinguished in Israel; Tel Aviv, the current champions, have won 26 league titles, while Haifa has won 15.
Israel’s clubs can participate in continental European club competitions like the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League every year because the country is a member of UEFA. Turgeman has been exposed to both competitions to some extent. He participated in seven of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s eight group stage games last season and scored in a Europa League group encounter against Real Sociedad. Additionally, he played in both of this July’s Champions League qualifying matches against Pafos FC.
