Mehdi Taremi of FC Porto is reportedly a target for Arsenal, but the club might look for a more reliable player during the transfer window.
While Mikel Arteta and Edu have put a lot of effort into preparing the team for Champions League participation and another title-challenging season, not all of their efforts have been successful.
Mehdi Taremi may join Arsenal.
Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Porto’s striker Taremi, who teamTALK cited as having a club worth of no less than €20 million (£17 million).
Manchester United is rumoured to be interested in the Iranian striker, but given Arsenal’s position in this transfer window, there may be some concern over the signing’s suitability.
Would Arsenal be wise to sign Mehdi Taremi?
On paper, Taremi would be a fantastic addition to any team after leading Porto to 22 goals in Liga Portugal last season, but some accomplishments are challenging for players to transfer to the Premier League.
There isn’t much to dispute the 30-year-old’s experience as a goal scorer. He scored an absurd 58 league goals for Porto in 99 games, earning him the label of “massive threat” from writer Maxi Angelo.
After narrowly losing to Manchester City last season, this summer is a chance to strengthen the areas that need it most in order to close the gap between the top two finishers in 2022–23, who were separated by just five points.
This summer, Arsenal must make wise acquisitions. Despite Taremi’s portrayal as a prolific goal scorer, there is no evidence to suggest that the Iranian could duplicate his accomplishment outside of Portugal.
Mehdi Taremi of FC Porto celebrates scoring the opening goal.
The recent transaction traded with Porto left the Londoners feeling short in what they bargained for, so the Gunners might refrain from signing talents from the Primeira Liga in the future with the hope that they can recreate the form hit there in England.
Following his selection as the U21 European Championship’s Player of the Tournament, Arsenal paid £34 million to acquire Fabio Vieira from Porto last summer. Vieira was one of the nation’s hottest prospects at the time.
Vieira made 27 appearances for Porto in the 2021/22 season, solidifying his status as a key member of the Dragons by tallying six goals, 14 assists, and 1.3 key passes per game in the league, according to Sofascore.
Vieira, who the Gunners recently acquired and who is a very capable creative talent, has yet to reach his full potential. According to Sofascore, Vieira only managed one goal and two assists in 22 Premier League outings for north London.
The Portuguese player, who averages 0.5 vital passes per game, was heavily lambasted by journalist Charles Watts after his “shocker” Europa League loss at the hands of Sporting CP, with a clear “lack of confidence” being suggested as a potential problem.
However, the Gunners are at a stage in their growth under Arteta where there is too little opportunity for trial and error. The Premier League may be a harsh awakening for some players who arrive from elsewhere in Europe.
Regarding Taremi, the Iranian played for clubs in Portugal, Qatar, and Iran during his career. At this point in time, one would wonder if his abilities in Portugal would translate to north London.
The Gunners won’t want to experience another major blunder after already feeling the pain of acquiring Vieira.
