Outspoken Ex Italy & Real Madrid Star Hits Out At Iran Captain: ‘Not Good Enough For Inter Milan’ – Adds Ex West Ham United Veteran ‘The First-Choice Backup’ | OneFootball

Antonio Cassano feels that striker Mehdi Taremi is not good enough for Inter Milan.

The former Italian international criticized Taremi on the Viva El Vutbol podcast, via FCInterNews. He argued the Iranian will be sold his summer, and that Marko Arnautovic is the main backup striker at Inter.

Iranian international striker Mehdi Taremi joined Inter Milan last summer. He arrived on a free transfer after his contract with Porto expired.

There were big expectations for Taremi, despite the fact that he signed without a transfer fee.

And in the Iranian’s first couple months as an Inter player, there were certainly positive signs.

However, Taremi has never really managed to leave his mark.

There have been some solid enough performances in front of holdup play. But the 32-year-old has not looked sharp in front of goal, and has very rarely managed to find the back of the net.

Cassano: “Mehdi Taremi Not Good Enough For Inter Milan”

Mehdi Taremi started for Inter Milan Tuesday’s Champions League round of sixteen second leg against Feyenoord.

In that match, Cassano argued that “Inter played on autopilot, at 30%.”

MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 05: Mehdi Taremi of FC Internazionale reac during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on October 05, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“To say that they were in total control would be an understatement,” he continued.

“Now you have to explain to me how Milan lost to Feyenoord, who are not a terribly good team.”

And Cassano was critical of striker Mehdi Taremi’s performance.

“I’ve been saying right from the start that I’m not crazy about him,” the former striker said. “I think that for next season, they’ll sell him.”

“And they’ll also get a bit of a capital gain,” Cassano said. Taremi did arrive on a free transfer, so any transfer fee would be a profit in that respect.

“Because he’s not a player good enough for a top team,” Cassano further argued.

“It was a transfer opportunity. A smart signing.”

But the former Italy international argued that “The real first choice backup in attack after Thuram and Lautaro is Arnautovic.”

Cassano called Arnautovic “a real player, who I like a lot.”