Even though it is behind major footballing nations such as Spain, England, and Italy, it is fair to say Iran’s stature is steadily growing. This is perhaps best evidenced by the country’s place in the FIFA World Rankings. Currently, Iran is ranked #33 in the world – above the likes of Russia, Ghana, and Scotland.
Due to this, it’s only natural for the value of Iranian players to go up.
What is it like in comparison to other players?
Okay, they’re not exactly battling it out with the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at this stage. CashLady has produced an informative graph which notes the ‘big two’ – aka Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – actually earn more each year than what the most expensive Iranian player costs. However, the money is not to be sniffed at – and the prices are only going to go up. So with all that said, here are the four most expensive Iranian football transfers of all time (so far):
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (£17m)
In 2018, it was made official by the BBC: Alireza Jahanbakhsh smashed the Iranian transfer record after signing for English Premier League outfit for a reported £17 million.
This price was justified based on the-then 24-year-old’s performances for previous club AZ Alkmaar. After topping the scoring charts for the 2017-2018 Eredivisie season with 21 goals, Jahanbakhsh was recognised as the first-ever Asian player to win the golden boot in a top-flight European league.
The winger has, unfortunately, had a much harder time of it at Brighton. His infrequent appearances in the starting 11 have seen some deem his move as a flop – although there’s still time for that to change.
Sardar Azmoun (€12m)
When you have been dubbed the ‘Iranian Messi’, it shouldn’t come as a surprise Sardar Azmoun is the second most expensive Iranian transfer of all time. Playing his trade in Russia since the age of 17, 25-year-old Azmoun transferred from Rubin Kazan to Russian Premier League champions Zenit St Petersburg in 2019 for €12 million.
If recent transfer rumours are to be believed, Azmoun could quickly stand alone at the top of this list. With impressive performances at both club and international level in recent years, it is said his current price tag is in excess of €30 million.
Ashkan Dejagah (€6.3m)
It’s fair to say Ashkan Dejagah’s career hasn’t followed the same routine as other Iranian football players. The 33-year-old started his career in Germany and even represented the German national team at youth level. After winning the prestigious Bundesliga with VfL Wolfsburg, Dejagah set off for the English Premier League and joined Fulham in 2012.
For the 2013-2014 season, Dejagah was voted as Fulham’s player of the year by fans. This marked a fitting farewell for the popular midfielder, as he joined Al-Arabi for €6.3 million. After further spells in Germany and England, Dejagah joined Tractor in 2018 – the first time he signed for an Iranian club team.
Kaveh Rezaei (€5m)
Even though he has failed to make an impression with the national team, Kaveh Rezaei made his mark in Belgium. After playing for various different teams in Iran, the forward joined Charleroi in 2017. After an impressive spell where he scored 19 goals in 45 games, he signed for Club Brugge for a reported €5 million – a club-record fee.
Sadly, Rezaei’s career at Club Brugge has yet to take off. After a lacklustre season, the 28-year-old returned to Charleroi on loan in 2019.