Review: Transfer Season for Iranian foreign-based Players

Freydun Zandi: Iranian-German midfielder who has set a different career path after long spell at Bundesliga, destined his playing career at Cyprus league for another season at least. Freydun Zandi formerly playing at Olympiakos Nicosia joined Alki Larnaca in April 2008. Although during the summer he was heavily linked with few IPL teams but at the end the attacking midfielder decided to extend his contract with Alki Larnaca for another season.

Fereydun Zandi is set to wear Alki’s number 23 jersey. Freydun Zandi had an impressive impact in Alki Larnaca’s preseason friendly games including Alki’s 3-1 win over Admira Prague in which Freydun Zandi scored a beauty through a free-kick and assisted Alki’s second goal of the match as well. In another preseason match, Zandi scored 2 goals out of Alki’s 9 goals to record 3 goals in Alki’s preseason games at the Czech camp. Cyprus league is set to commence at the end of August.


Andranik Teimourian: Andranik Teymourian, the out of favour Bolton midfielder, headed for a new challenge by joining the relegation escaped Fulham on a 2 year contract. Andranik played in all but one preseason game including Fulham’s Asian tour games against Ulsan Hyundai Horang and Busan I’Park, Celtic and Southend.


Mehdi Mahdavikia: Mehdi Mahdavikia looks forward to a fresh start for Eintracht Frankfurt as he was hit with three injury spells last season, missing out majority of the games. Recently, Kicker magazine initiated a rumour suggesting Mahdavikia was surplus to requirement. However the rumour was quickly denied by Mahdavikia, confirming his definite stay at Frankfurt until 2010.

Mehdi Mahdavikia had a relatively short preseason preparation with Eintracht as he was still injured at the start of the preseason. He played only 4 preseason games in which he provided two consecutive assists. Eintracht’s most remarkable preseason game was hosting La Liga defending Champions, Real Madrid in which Mahdavikia also featured a high pace performance upon his entry to the pitch in minute 61.


Vahid Hashemian: The disappointed Hanover striker, Vahid Hashemian looked elsewhere to play a starting role and joined Bochum on a two year contract with the option of extending for another season. Bochum’s new striker is set to wear number 16 jersey.

Hashemian took part in majority of Bochum’s preseason games following his minor back injury, among those games Bochum’s crucial DFB German Cup game against Preußen Münster in which Bochum won 6-5 to reach the next round of German Cup. Vahid Hashemian converted one of the penalties for Bochum. In other games, Hashemian featured against Cyprus defending champions and Turkey’s Besiktas team but he failed to score any goals in preseason games.


Amir Shapourzadeh: Hansa Rostock’s Iranian International striker joined Bundesliga 2nd division team FCV Frankfurt on a 2 year contract until 2010 following Hansa Rostock’s refusal to extend his contract. Amir Shapourzadeh featured 15 minutes against Osnabruk in FCV Frankfurt’s valuable 2-0 win in DFB Cup.


Rahman Rezaei: Serie-A’s only Iranian player moved out of Italy in off season as former Livorno defender, Rahman Rezaei joined UAE’s Al Zafrah on a one year contract. Rahman Rezaei looking for a new challenge since the end of the last season, did not manage to receive any offers from Serie-A teams and as he did not reach agreement with IPL top flight teams Perspolis and Esteghlal, he joined Al Zafrah.


Masoud Shojaei: Masoud Shojaei’s move from UAE to Europe is one of the rarest transfers among Iranian players since Javad Nekounam’s arrival at Osasuna, as usually for Iranian players it is the other way around, joining UAE clubs for a more comfortable lifestyle. Masoud Shojaei was snapped up by Osasuna on a 3 year contract following his impressive performance in World Cup Qualifiers for Iran National team. Masoud Shojaei is set to wear number 19 jersey for Osasuna.

Masoud Shojaei joined Osasuna team training on July 28th. As he missed most of Osasuna’s preseason games due to National team duty, he featured his debut friendly game against Hull City on Aug 11 and assisted the only goal of the match for Osasuna. Masoud Shojaei also displayed an impressive game against Real Racing in which both assists came from the services of the Iranian wizard. Masoud Shojaei was repeatedly described as Man of the Match on Osasuna official website.

Javad Nekounam: Javad Nekounam looks forward to a fresh start with Osasuna as he went through a tough campaign last season after missing the entire campaign due to injury. Nekounam, now accompanied by his Iranian veteran in Osasuna line-up, featured in Osasuna’s two preparation games upon late arrival from National team duty. However Masoud Shojaei and Nekounam were both rested for persumably Ziganda's first line-up A-B testing ahead of league kick-off, however Osasuna's last friendly encounter against recently promoted Numancia ended with a scoreless tie.

Osasuna is set to commence their 2008-2009 La Liga season against Villareal CF on August 31st.


As for Iranian players in UAE league, Luca Bonacic’s appointment as Al Nasr coach was a huge factor in Iranian players’ decision to join Al Nasr team. Among those who joined Al Nasr team were: Reza Enayati, Mehrzad Madanchi and Mohamad Nosrati.

Almost all UAE-based Iranian players left their teams for a new team in the summer, except Mehrdad Oladi who will remain at Al Shabab.


Javad Kazemian left UAE defending Champions Al Shabab to join newly promoted Al Ajman, so did Ali Samereh.

Iman Mobali as well left Al Shabab to play at Al Wasl this season to be the only Iranian player of this team.

Rasoul Khatibi and Mehdi Rajabzadeh both left relegated Al Emirate for Al Zafrah, joined by Rahman Rezaei to all play along each other this new season.

UAE league kicks off with 12 teams from Sep 19.

There were also few Iranian players who left UAE league for IPL, including Siavash Akbarpour, who left Al Zafrah for Esteghlal, as well as Milad Meidavoudi who left Al Ahli to return to Esteghlal Ahwaz.

In Qatar, Ali Karimi remains the only Iranian player of the league. Out of favour Al Qatar midfielder who was seeking a new team in the summer ended up in another Qatar team again named Al Saliya on a two year contract. Although there are reports from Qatar press that Ali Saliya officials are not content with Ali Karimi's preseason performance and Iranian midfielder seeks a move out of his newly signed team!


Transfers in Germany:

Vahid Hashemian: Hanover 96 to Bochum
Amir Shapourzadeh: Hansa Rostock to FCV Franfkurt

Transfers in England:

Andranik Teimourian: Bolton to Fulham

Transfers in Spain:

Masoud Shojaei: Al Zafrah to Osasuna

Transfers in UAE:

Javad Kazemian: Al Shabab to Al Ajman
Ali Samereh: Al Shaab to Al Ajman
Iman Mobali: Al Shabab to Al Wasl
Reza Enayati: Al Emirate to Al Nasr
Mehrzad Madanchi: Al shaab to Al Nasr
Rasoul Khatibi: Al Emirate to Al Zafrah
Mehdi Rajabzadeh: Al Emirate to Al Zafrah
Rahman Rezaei: Livorno to Al Zafrah
Mohamad Nosrati: Perspolis to Al Nasr

Transfers out of UAE:

Siavash Akbarpour : Al Zafrah to Esteghlal
Milad Meidavoudi: Al Ahli to Esteghlal Ahwaz
Masoud Shojaei: Al Zafrah to Osasuna

Transfers in Qatar:

Ali Karimi: Al Qatar to Al Saliya