Daei tips ‘best Asian striker’ Taremi to excel at Inter
Iranian football great Ali Daei says his compatriot Mahdi Taremi has what it takes to succeed in his debut season for Serie A giant Internazionale.
Taremi,31, joined the Nerazzurri as a free agent from Portuguese heavyweight Porto earlier in the month, on a contract that could keep him at the Italian champion until June 2027.
The Iranian spent four glorious seasons in the Porto shirt, bagging 91 strikes in 182 appearances to become the Dragons’ third all-time leading marksman.
It has been a decade since Taremi’s introduction to the Iranian top flight, when ex-Persepolis boss Daei signed him for the Tehran Reds from second-tier club Iranjavan Bushehr.
And now his former coach is confident Taremi is set for another success story once he embarks on the new chapter of his career.
“Taremi possesses all the attributes of a real striker. He is literally the best Asian center forward,” Daei said in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, adding: “His best quality is his footballing intelligence. Watch him carefully: He might make few touches on the ball throughout the game, but he can still find the net. He moves well all over the pitch and wins every duel.”
Daei believes Taremi’s contract is “a true bargain” for Inter.
“Just look at the great job he has done over the past four years. He scored 90-plus goals at Porto, some decisive ones in the Champions League, and won several trophies with the club. Signing him as a free agent was an incredible deal for Inter,” said the former Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin striker, who is third in the all-time international scoring chart with 108 goals.
Taremi has already made a case for a place in Inter’s starting XI in the upcoming campaign, making the most of extended vacations for first-choice strikers Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram – due to their involvement in Copa America and Euro 2024 – by scoring three in five preseason friendlies.
Daei says Taremi’s versatility could help him instantly fit into head coach Simone Inzaghi’s gameplans.
“Taremi knows how to adapt to any situation, be it a first or second striker, playing as a pure No. 9 or in a deeper role,” said Daei.
“Taremi moves a lot, which is why he always surprises the defenders. He is also a physical player and rarely loses duels against the opposition. It’s not easy to get the ball off his feet, not to mention he is a player with great dribbling skills in the finishing phase, which could cost problems for any defender.”
Describing Taremi’s overhead strike against Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League last eight, which brought him a Puskas Award nomination, as his best-ever goal, Daei said: “He has shown he can score even in the most unexpected situations. He knows how to position his body to evade man-marking. He is a very underrated striker, but if you’re not good enough you don’t get to score 50 goals for the national team.”
Making a prediction of Taremi’s goal tally in the new season, Daei said: “I would say at least 15. Serie A is much more difficult than the Portuguese league, but when a striker knows how to score, he always manages to find the net at every level.”
Asked if he has any tips for Taremi’s new coach, Daei said: “I think Inzaghi already knows all about him, so he won’t need my advice. I can only say that Mahdi preforms better alongside another striker. He communicates well with his frontline partner, provides assists and exploits the flanks.”
Daei went on to heap praise on Taremi for always being “so humble, respectful, and with certain values” off the pitch.
“He has never forgotten where he has come from. He has a great personality. I’m sure he’ll do well and, above all, score goals. Inter fans can rest assured.”