Following some disagreements over some potential transfer moves, Andrea Stramaccioni’s experience in Iran could be coming to an end. The Italian manager wanted to acquire Cyril Thereau to partner him with Diabate’ upfront in order to give Esteghlal a top striker partnership in the Asian Champions League. Stramaccioni had tried to sign Thereau while at Inter and worked with him at Udinese back in 2014.
But despite the player agreeing to the move after a long negotiation with Fiorentina director Prade’, Esteghlal backed out without informing Stramaccioni despite the fact Thereau’s cost was within the budget agreed to for a striker. Thereau had agreed to the move also because of the work of his long time Iranian agent Mogi Bayat. Now Thereau is no longer convinced of the move following the club’s decision to back track, following the failed acquisitions of Drame’, Milic and Pucciarelli, Esteghlal find themselves with just one foreign player in Diabate’ despite the league rules allowing for four with only 9 days left before the season starts.
The situation is complex and today there will be a meeting between Stramaccioni’s agent Federico Pastorello and Esteghlal’s President to discuss a potential contractual resolution for the Italian manager and his staff because of the club’s inability to build a club competitive in the Asian Champions League.
