Everton have had a bid turned down for Porto’s Mehdi Taremi.
The Toffees made a surprise offer to sign the striker earlier this summer but Taremi wasn’t interested, according to O Jogo newspaper.
Taremi joined Porto from Rio Ave in 2020 and has been on fire ever since, scoring 58 goals in only 99 matches in the Primeira Liga. The 30-year-old was named in the Primer Liga Team of the Year on three occasions and finished as the league’s top scorer twice, while he also caught the eye for Iran as he bagged two goals in three matches at the World Cup.
Taremi has previously been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, however it is Arsenal that have made an ambitious bid. The forward revealed in an interview with Varvesh 3 that a move to Goodison Park ‘wasn’t of interest to him’.
With a year remaining on his current contract, Porto would reportedly demand around €20 million (£17m) to lure him away from the Estádio do Dragão.
However, Everton’s pursuit of Taremi looks like it has already come to an abrupt end.
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Medhi Taremi would have been an exceptional yet unbelievable signing for Everton
Mehdi Taremi has received plenty of praise in recent seasons, with Rio Ferdinand previously complimenting his ‘ridiculous’ and ‘outstanding’ goal in the Champions League win over Chelsea in 2021.
The Iranian’s brilliant goalscoring record has led to plenty of interest, with Taremi previously turning Newcastle United down when they were facing a relegation battle.
It comes as no surprise that Taremi has also rejected Everton given their position, while he is likely to receive plenty of offers to compete with some of Europe’s elite.
Taremi would definitely have been a brilliant signing for the Toffees but it is time to think realistically and look elsewhere.