Porto striker Mehdi Taremi has revealed a transfer offer from Everton but dismissed it as “not interesting to me” in an interview with Varzesh 3 in Iran.
The 30-year-old explained that he previously rejected a move to Newcastle prior to their takeover by the Saudi PIF because he didn’t expect them to become a Champions League team.
He chose to stay with Portuguese giants Porto at the time, for whom he has now scored 80 goals and laid on 49 assists in all competitions in three seasons, and with another Premier League opportunity now on the table from Goodison Park he is again not interested.
In sharing why he turned down Newcastle previously Taremi said: “At that time, I didn’t think they would be such a team and say Champions League. At that time, they were fighting not to fall. I thought Porto was better.
“Finally, we had a lot of big games. Last year’s group was with Liverpool, Milan and Atlético. I could not miss it. Now there is an opportunity, but even now, for example, Everton’s offer is not interesting to me.
Taremi may already be 30 but he has proven himself a more than capable scorer, not just in Portugal but in the top two European competitions.
He would be an ambitious signing for Sean Dyche and Everton, but since he turned down Newcastle when they were battling at the bottom of the league it is perhaps no surprise that he is minded to do the same with the Toffees.
Forwards are absolutely a priority at Goodison this summer, as the options seem to keep dwindling with departures from a squad that was already struggling to score enough as it is.
But it looks like Taremi can be added to a growing list of options who have rejected the club or were always out of reach in the first place, after a January transfer window where every attacker linked proved to be a dead-end pursuit.
At least Everton appear to be putting in the work to attempt to bring more firepower in but until it is actually successful it means little.
There is plenty of time left in the transfer window yet, but with sales probably required to secure cash for any substantial buys it could yet be a difficult one.
