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Could Mehdi Taremi make it at one of Europe’s elite clubs?

Mehdi Taremi

Porto’s Mehdi Taremi has continued to impress in his third season at Porto, and as a result, the transfer speculation surrounding the Iranian international refuses to go away.

In recent weeks, Marseille are the latest team to be linked with the striker. But with his stock currently high, could Taremi have his sights set on bigger and better clubs with a chance of winning the Champions League in 2024?

Big clubs linked with Taremi

In recent months, Taremi has been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea in the English Premier League. But apart from maybe Chelsea, as yet there has been no real rumours of a potential transfer to one of Europe’s elite clubs.

In this season’s Champions League, the bookmakers' favourites are Manchester City at odds of just 4/6 in the Champions League betting. Taremi’s name hasn’t been linked with the Blue half of Manchester. Nor the likes of Real Madrid, who are 7/2 second betting favourites to win this season’s competition. These are both teams who are popular Champions League tips to lift the trophy due to how established they are among the European elite in recent seasons compared to the Milan sides.

But in fairness to Taremi, the chances of a move to the Etihad or Bernabeu next season are fairly slim. So, should his expectations be on a lower level Champions League club? But one at a level above Porto.

The interest from Chelsea and Arsenal came prior to the January transfer window. And in recent weeks, the interest has come from Marseille. Of those three clubs, Chelsea won’t be in Europe next season. Arsenal are almost certain of being in the Champions League group stages, and Marseille are in a strong position to finish second in Ligue 1 and qualify automatically for the group stages, although the French club's position is far from assured.

Would Taremi be a good fit at any of the clubs allegedly interested?

It’s fair to say that all three of those teams could do with a striker of Taremi’s quality. Chelsea simply don’t have a goalscorer at all. While for Arsenal and Marseille, he would be a good addition to either squads ahead of possible Champions League campaigns next season. 

A move to Chelsea may not be as bad as it sounds either. Chelsea won the Champions League as recently as the 2021 season. And despite their struggles this campaign, if they can get the right manager to lead them, with the squad and resources they already boast, they could be back stronger than ever before long.

Arsenal are also a club heading in the right direction, and with a few shrewd additions could be challenging for multiple big trophies again over the next few years.

Why move at all?

At 30 years of age, Taremi probably only has one real big move left in his career. So it would be understandable if he wanted to leave Porto.

But if nothing does come of the speculation, he is already at a perfectly decent club, who themselves made it to the last 16 of this season’s Champions League. He seems nicely settled in Portugal and is scoring goals, so it wouldn't be the worst outcome to stay where he is.