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Cristian Battocchio joined Maccabi Tel Aviv on a two-year-deal with an option for a further season. The diminutive midfielder who made 20 appearances for Italy’s U-20 and U-21’s, joins Maccabi on a free transfer after spending the last two seasons in France playing for Stade Brest.

The Rosario born midfielder who began his playing career at the Youth Academy of Newll’s Old Boys, joined Italian club Udinese in 2009 at the age of 16. In 2012 Battocchio joined Watford on loan and after impressing the Hornets boss Gianfranco Zola made the move to Vicarage Road permanent in 2013.

The arrival of former Maccabi coach Slavisa Jokanovic at Watford in 2014 saw Battocchio return to Italy and join Virtus Entella on loan before switching to Brest for which he scored 8 goals in 35 appearances last season.

Over the course of the 2017/18 season, Battocchio appeared in 40 matches (24 league) and was an integral part in helping the Club advance to the group stages of the Europa League. He scored one goal before ending his campaign early due to an injury.

Yonatan Cohen grew up through the ranks of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Department and in 2015/16 he was loaned to Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramle of the Leumit League and scored 11 goals. In the 2016/17 Cohen went to Bnei Yehuda on loan and won the State Cup with the Club. The striker scored three goals and assisted on four more in league play while adding 4 additional goals in State Cup action. In 2017/18 Cohen again was loaned to Bnei Yehuda and made 37 appearances across all competitions while scoring 8 goals.

In the summer of 2018, Cohen returned to Maccabi and took part in the Club’s preseason training camp.