Israeli National Team captain Yossi Benayoun is out of contract with EPL power Chelsea on June 30, and the midfielder said he’s doing everything he can to make his next stop MLS. His agent, Ronen Katzaav, told The Post he nearly joined the Red Bulls last summer and wouldn’t mind doing so this year.
“I’m in talks with several European teams. I’m checking out the options, but to tell you the truth, America is one of my favorite options,’’ Benayoun said. “I’m trying do everything I can to come to America and to play in MLS, and hopefully it works out in the next few weeks.
“If I leave England it will be only for something challenge, a new style of life like America. … I love America. Any interesting, good city that you have a nice lifestyle I could give my wife and family. It is more important for me to give them a good lifestyle, schools, everything and then hopefully to enjoy football. … Of course New York would be great. But Chicago, Los Angeles — America has a lot of options.’’
Benayoun — who came to New York last summer for Chelsea’s friendly against PSG and for last Saturday’s friendly loss to Manchester City — will captain Israel tomorrow against Honduras at Citi Field.
Katzav said he nearly had a deal last summer with then-Red Bulls general manager Erik Soler. A source cautioned there has been no direct contact yet between the Red Bulls and Benayoun, 33, but the wide midfielder clear fits a need in New York.
“Last season he was very close to signing with Red Bull, and now we are checking our options. Normally they were very interested with us,’’ Katzav told The Post. “We also have options in Europe, of Spain, Germany, of course England. But we’re trying to change a little bit the mentality of life a little bit from Europe.
“You know when you are a football player, one of the things is to test: To test things and maybe to change some things to another country another mentality another way or life and another football. So this is the way we are looking. We already start to check it and see the next couple of days.’’