Sunday afternoon deal- Arsenal have now made contact and have advanced in talks to sign ‘the best Asian player in football’- His performances in UCL last season is enough to convince Mikel Arteta- ‘Here we go’ soon
Arsenal are set to hold talks with FC Porto over a potential summer move for striker Mehdi Taremi, who could be available for a fee of just £17m, according to recent reports from Portugal.
Which striker are Arsenal signing?
Back in April, Football Insider reported that Mikel Arteta wanted to sign a striker with a completely different profile to the options he currently has at the club, namely Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Folarian Balogun.
The manager has been preoccupied with deals for Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, but he could now turn his attention back towards bringing in a new centre-forward, having previously been linked with a number of different players.
Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin was on the Gunners’ radar back in April, while they have also been named as potential suitors for Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, with the 6 foot 3 forward making it clear he wants to leave the Italian club this summer.
According to reports from Portugal (via TEAMtalk), Arsenal have now joined the race for Taremi, and talks with Porto officials are set to open soon over his possible signing.
However, there is set to be competition for the striker’s signature from Premier League rivals Manchester United, who have also made their interest clear in recent days, as they are attracted by his relatively low price tag.
It is detailed that the 30-year-old could be available for around £17m this summer, making him a low-cost option to strengthen the Arsenal frontline.
How good is Mehdi Taremi?
Journalist Zach Lowy waxed lyrical about the Iranian forward back in March, saying:
“Given Heung-min Son’s dismal form this season, think there’s a serious argument to be made that Taremi is the best Asian player in football right now.”
It is clear to see why Lowy has been so impressed by the 6 foot 1 forward, as he has recorded a phenomenal goal tally in Portugal across a number of seasons now, weighing in with 22 league goals and assists in the 2022-23 campaign.
Not only that, the 66-time Iran international also found the back of the net five times in the Champions League last season, which indicates he would be able to hit the ground running for Arsenal, when they return to Europe’s elite competition in the 2023-24 campaign.
Against Atletico Madrid, the FC Porto star put in a particularly impressive performance, getting on the scoresheet and winning a total of four duels, while also showcasing his creative talent by making four key passes.
Although Taremi has never played in one of Europe’s “big five” leagues, his performances at Champions League level indicate he could be ready to make the step up to a club the size of Arsenal.
Jesus had a solid first season in north London, recording 11 goals and seven assists in the Premier League, however, it would still be nice for Arteta to have an alternative option to bring on when chasing a game, and having sufficient squad depth is vital now the Gunners are back in the Champions League.
