Barak Yitzhaki
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| Barak Yitzhaki ברק יצחקי |
||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | September 25, 1984 | |
| Place of birth | Ashkelon, Israel | |
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 81⁄2 in) | |
| Playing position | Striker, Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | KRC Genk | |
| Number | 99 | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| 2000–2001 | Hapoel Ashkelon | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 2001–2003 2003-2008 2008- |
Hapoel Ashkelon Beitar Jerusalem KRC Genk |
57 (28) 91 (18) 13 (3) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2003 2004-2007 2007-present |
Israel U19 Israel U21 Israel |
1 (1) 19 (3) 6 (1) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Barak Yitzhaki (Hebrew: ברק יצחקי, also transliterated Itzhaki or Itzchaki; born September 25, 1984 in Ashkelon) is an Israeli footballer who plays for KRC Genk.
Yitzhaki started his professional career with boyhood club, Hapoel Ashkelon. During his first two seasons as a professional, Yitzhaki won the Toto Cup Artzit twice. He was sold to Beitar Jerusalem and saw limited time under manager Eli Ohana.
With the arrival of French manager Luis Fernández in 2005, Yitzhaki received more playing time and was even a first team choice over the club's leading scorer, Lior Asulin. After watching Yitzhaki play, Fernández told the club to sign Yitzhaki to a long term contract.
At the end of the 2005/06 season, Yitzhaki attracted interest from Belgian club KRC Genk. Media reports say that he was offered a €300,000 per annum contract that includes a 20% yearly wage rise for a period no less than three seasons. Beitar is reluctant to see Yitzhaki leave and they have put a price on the striker of no less than US $1,000,000. On June 25, 2006 an official bid was sent for the immediate transfer of Yitzhaki but Beitar chairman Vladimir Sklar rejected the offer of $250,000 USD. While Yitzhaki and the club were in training in Arnhem, Holland, a representative of KRC Genk showed up at the hotel with an improved offer of $500,000 USD. It initially looked as if Yitzhaki would be sold to the Belgian side [1] but he eventually signed a long term contract with Beitar. In January 2008, Yitzhaki agreed a move to KRC Genk, where he signed a 3.5 year contract.
He scored his first Genk goal in KV Mechelen, it is already named as the goal of the year in Belgium. After this goal he also scored against Moeskroen en Club Brugge.
