Struggling Taremi eager to prove the right fit in Nerazzurri colors
By
Amirََhadi Arsalanpour
Staff writer
When Mahdi Taremi sealed his long-awaited move to Internazionale from Porto in July, his deal was widely regarded as a true bargain for the Serie A champion.
In signing the Iranian international as a free agent, Inter secured the services of a prolific striker with proven credentials and impressive numbers.
The 32-year-old came to Inter on the back of four glorious seasons with Porto, during which he bagged 91 strikes in 182 outings to become the Dragons’ third all-time top scorer, while providing his teammates with 56 assists, as he helped the Portuguese giant lift seven domestic trophies – including a league and couple double in the 2021/22 campaign.
Preparing his team for a congested campaign – featuring the expanded UEFA Champions League and the new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup next summer – Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi hailed the Iranian as an “important player” with “a lot of experience and many goals under his belt” in the European elite clubs’ competition.
Taremi himself described the move as “the best moment in my life” and went on to impress in the preseason friendlies, capitalizing on the absence of Argentine skipper Lautaro Martínez and France international Marcus Thuram, who were given extended vacations due to their international commitments, to make a case for of place in the starting XI when the season gets underway.
Five months into the marquee chapter of his career, however, Taremi has been struggling to make a significant impact in Nerazzurri colors.
The Iranian’s contribution has been limited to a single goal from the spot – in a 4-0 home beating of Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League – and three assists in 15 games across all competitions.
He has been named just once in the starting lineup in a Serie A game – a home fixture against Lecce on matchday two – making nine cameo appearances off the bench, while he was an unused substitute in the last two matches in the Italian top flight against Hellas Verona and Parma.
Rumors have already begun to swirl around Taremi’s future in the Italian media, with several reports suggesting his time at Inter could come to an end in the upcoming January transfer window if any club comes up with the right offer for the Iranian.
In the Champions League, however, the circumstances have been much more favorable of Taremi, who has started all five of Inter’s games, starting with a dedicated performance in the goalless draw against Manchester City at the Etihad in September, followed by a man-of-the-match display against Red Star at San Siro.
Inter will be back in European action tonight when visiting Xabi Alonso’s in-form Bayer Leverkusen, and the occasion at BayArena can provide the Iranian with the perfect opportunity to prove the Italian giant made no mistake by going after him.