AC Milan are looking to revamp the attack this summer and they want to improve the centre-forward department, given Olivier Giroud worked overtime last season.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the ‘T-factor’ could ‘ignite’ the Rossoneri’s attack. The thoughts of the last few days have oscillated between Porto and Mönchengladbach, with the names of Marcus Thuram and Mehdi Taremi on the list
Thuram’s name is top of the pile, because his contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach is about to expire and he will leave the German club on a free transfer and his profile ticks a lot of boxes.
He already has good international experience in the Champions League and the Europa League, while the scouting department deem him to be a modern and quality centre-forward, good on the counter and in one-on-one situations.
He has a certain explosiveness, speed and flexibility, while he could also fill the role of winger if necessary, which Stefano Pioli wouldn’t mind. Either way, he offers something different.
Then there is Taremi, whose name is circulating as a potential deputy for Giroud. He is an experienced striker at 30 years of age and he has just had a season with 34 goals and 15 assists across his club and national team.
He has a contract expiring in 2024 which means the Iran international could represent an opportunity. In three seasons with Porto he has won a league title, three cups and two Portuguese Super Cups.
In the last Champions League he netted five times in games against Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid. However, Porto have no intention of selling him off on the cheap, but several clubs like him and his future will be decided shortly.
Comparing the two, Taremi played 47 games for Porto, scoring 30 goals and adding 10 assists. Thuram played 32 matches, with 16 goals and 7 assists.
The Iranian is more clinical than the Frenchman in front of goal: for him the percentage conversion of big chances into goals is 54%, while the Frenchman is at 39%.
Another figure to consider refers to the presence in the area, in which the two are equal: for the Porto forward, the average number of touches in the penalty area is 6.38, slightly higher than that of Thuram (6.41).
