‘Like Thuram’ – the background on the Milan-Inter derby for Taremi

Inter will complete the signing of Mehdi Taremi on a free transfer at the end of the season, and La Gazzetta dello Sport have drawn comparisons with a saga from last summer involving AC Milan.

The paper (as seen below) reports that Taremi will sign a three-year deal worth €3m net per season with Inter having verbally agreed terms in recent months, thus ensuring that a courtship that has lasted for over a year has a marriage as its ending.

The medical visits – first announced and then hastily postponed a month ago so as not to upset Porto – are just a technical step. There are those who are ready to swear that they have already been carried out in great secrecy in recent days in a foreign location.

Taremi was in contact with the Nerazzurri sporting director, who tried hard to get him last July. He was the first name on the list explored as soon as they understood that Romelu Lukaku would not be returning from Chelsea.

Then, once he understood that Porto would not give in unless a big offer came in for a player with a year left on his deal, they let go. They never fully gave up though, not even when at the end of August the Iranian seemed to be AC Milan bound.

The papers adds: ‘With him it went like with Thuram: the player appreciated the courtship and the signature arrived’. Milan also tried for the Frenchman, but ultimately were unable to close the deal and now will see their rivals unveil another free transfer.

The same source also gave some background on why Milan were unable to get a deal for Taremi over the line towards the end of the summer transfer window.