Iranian star striker Mehdi Taremi is officially a new Inter Milan player.
His long-anticipated arrival in Lombardy was confirmed on Saturday on a three-year contract following the end of his hugely successful stint with top-rung Portuguese football club Porto.
Taremi, who plays for Iran’s national football team as a striker, made 182 appearances for the Portuguese club since 2020, scoring 91 goals in total.
Last season, he weighed in with an impressive tally of 31 goals and 10 assists for the top-rung Portuguese football team, impressing all and sundry with his skills and talent.
Out of 31 goals, 7 came in the Champions League, which catapulted him to international fame and prompted top-rung clubs in the English Premier League to make bets on him.
In his farewell game for Porto on May 13, Taremi scooped a last-minute goal against Boavista at Estádio do Dragão to bid adieu on a high note.
It was the Iranian striker’s final game for the Portuguese club in front of 33,000 spectators at the Estádio do Dragão in a match from the 33rd round of Liga Portugal Betclic.
During his four-year term at Porto, he helped the club win the Primeira Liga, two Portuguese Super Cups, three Portuguese Cups and the Portuguese League Cup.
After officially joining the Italian champions on Saturday, Taremi said it is a “dream come true” for him.
“I am very happy to be here today, it is a dream come true for me. I feel good and I am very happy. I have to say that this is the happiest moment of my life,” the Iran International told the Inter website.
On being the first Iranian player to represent the Italian football giant, Taremi said he was “very proud.”
“I did everything possible to be here today and finally, I succeeded”.
The 31-year-old start striker for Team Melli, Iran’s national football team, has been making waves in the European football circles with his superlative performances for FC Porto.
The news about Taremi playing for Inter Milan was first confirmed by the club’s sporting director Piero Ausilio in April, as reported by the Press TV website at the time.
“This is the moment to all rejoice together, we have already done a little something and perhaps a little too quickly because now everyone expects more,” he was quoted as saying.
Taremi now faces a new challenge – playing in the Serie A league.
“Serie A is one of the most prestigious leagues in the world. I will try to do my best as I have always done until now. I want to give my best here at Inter,” he told the Inter website on Saturday.
“As a forward, I need to score goals and provide assists. I need to win matches, which is the most important thing for the team”.
On what his contribution to the Italian champions could be, Taremi said the focus will be on winning “as many matches as possible.”
“We need to focus on this goal and give our best to achieve it. Winning is something that is achieved with the help of everyone: the staff, the players, and the whole club, step by step until the final goal”.