Chelsea's most promising young striker, Ben Sahar, must pin his hopes on a member of Israel's parliament to avoid the military draft potentially ruining his Stamford Bridge career.
Sahar, a 17-year-old who has scored four goals in four starts with Chelsea's academy and is a reserve-team regular, is expected to have a big future with the Premiership champions. His breakthrough chance is likely to come in Chelsea's FA Cup third-round tie at home to Macclesfield on January 6 when Jose Mourinho intends to promote him to the first team.
Sahar has already received international recognition and made a scoring debut for Israel's Under-21 side against France in October. But it was after a recent visit to his homeland to train with the Under-21s that he received his first call to the army, where he was put through a preliminary medical examination.
That was the first step towards the statutory three-year spell all Israeli men must serve in national service with the military, as did his compatriots Eyal Berkovic and Yossi Benayoun. Sportsmen who refuse to fulfil their national service are prohibited from representing their country in national teams.
However, such is the sporting promise of Sahar and the national celebrity he has achieved as a Chelsea player that the Likud party parliamentarian Haim Katz is proposing a "Ben Sahar bill" to ensure Israel's national football team is not damaged by disruption to its leading players' overseas careers.
"There is no doubt that this change will contribute even in the near future to the quality of the national teams," said Katz. "It's not an easy procedure and we will have to regard it practically. But some kind of promotional service of our athletes abroad would be more beneficial and more professional, not just for the player and the national team but to the country itself. Their contribution will be without a doubt much better than it is today for our top athletes."
Katz hopes his bill, which he is looking to fast-track into law in the "next few months", will permit the young striker to work in Israel's London embassy. However, there is a debate in Israel as to whether such an exemption should also be sought for promising scientists, artists, actors and writers who would similarly benefit from an overseas career.
Sahar's mother, Batia, hopes the law will be passed, claiming that her son is capable of making more impact as an ambassador than as a soldier. "Ben is already known and active in the Jewish community in London and I've no doubt that his promotional and guidance work in this community will be of much greater benefit than some minuscule job in the army," said Mrs Sahar.