How the U20s World Cup sparked Tottenham target Anan Khalaili's career into life
Tottenham Hotspur are one of multiple clubs keeping tabs on Union St Gilloise talent Anan Khalaili ahead of the summer window.
Newcastle United and Benfica are both said to be scouting the talented right-wing back, having gone from strength to strength since his switch to the Belgian Pro League in 2024.
Capable of playing anywhere down the right flank, much like Spurs' current flying full-back Pedro Porro, at just 21 years of age, he finished the 2025-26 campaign on 12 goal contributions.
Khalaili is quickly making a name for himself across Europe, and with some incredible defensive stats, plus six goals and six assists in 52 games, it doesn't seem like there's much he can't do.
It has been a very sharp rise for the youngster, and if supporters haven't been keeping a close eye on Union St Gilloise's Champions League campaign, they may have missed him in action.
He has quickly become one of the Belgian side's most consistent stars, repaying all the trust put in him after his arrival from Maccabi Haifa. But he had to take his chance to reach this point.
Anan Khalaili kickstarted his career on one of the biggest stages
Looking back at his stats, Khalaili has always been an ever-present in front of goal, but moves across Europe have forced him to become more defensively sound.
However, before he sparked his career into life, he travelled to the Under-20s World Cup with Israel during the summer of 2023, where he helped the team to create history.
Israel won an historic bronze medal at the tournament, scoring the third in a 3-1 win over South Korea in the third-place play-off game.
He also scored the first goal in Israel's comeback victory against Brazil in the quarter-finals, adding to his winner from their 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in the round of 16.
Since this tournament, Khalaili has racked up 23 goals and 16 assists for Maccabi Haifa and Union St Gilloise, and now has the chance to become a Premier League player.
Football is in Khalaili's blood
It almost feels as though the 21-year-old was destined to become a professional footballer, and Spurs might be about to make his wildest dreams come true.
His father, Majdi Khalaili was a goalkeeper and played all of hirates, ball in Israel and the Unite Arab Emirates, eventually retiring in 2023.
And his brother, Iyad, also came through the Maccabi Haifa academy, but spent the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Maccabi Bnei Reineh.
His sibling plays on the opposite side of the field, so maybe the two will come up against each other one day. For now, Khalaili's sole focus should be on his potential, and very exciting, move to the Premier League.