Saeed Saharkhizan

Saharkhizan, Esteghal FC striker, was born in June 2003 in Ardabil, Iran. Saeed started playing for Zob Ahan Ardabil FC, followed by Saipa FC, Paykan FC, Hadavar SC, and Gol Gohar Sirjan FC until he arrived in Russia to play for FK Orenburg. This year he returns to his homeland. A U-20 and U-17 international for his country, Saeed has already been called to Iran’s senior team but has yet to make his debut.

Physically, Saeid is a morphologically mesomorphic striker of medium height. He has a good center of gravity, which gives him agility on the ball. He is strong and tough in hand-to-hand duels. He also has good speed and executes at an acceptable speed.

Saeed is a very technical player for his position. I would go so far as to say that he can play in any attacking position. In terms of passing, he is an athlete capable of creating advantages when he drops to support through give-and-goes. In terms of dribbling, especially when he drops back into the wide channels, he is capable of taking opponents out of the game through one-versus-one situations and attacking the final third with the ball always under control. His receptions are a great asset to his game because of the way he uses them to counter his opponents’ pressing movements. His finishing technique is equally refined, with powerful shots being his trademark, as well as his ability to find a good placement for the ball.

Tactically, when his team has the ball, he is a strong player in terms of movement, both outside and inside the box. Outside the box, he looks for zigzag movements to escape his opponents and, in open play, he usually drifts out to the wings and then cuts inside diagonally. In an offensive organisation, he is a player capable of escaping the marking of defenders to play in support and then attack the space he has created, as I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Inside the area, he is very mobile and intelligent in his timing of attacks on goal: he hides on the blind side of defenders and then attacks in front of them, or makes counter-movements to give himself time to shoot.

When his team does not have possession, Saeed demonstrates an excellent competitive attitude. He never gets tired of pressing and does so with aggressiveness, intelligence, and speed. He never disconnects from the game and makes a point of being present at all times.

In terms of comparison, I think I can say that Saeed Saharkhizan has a similar profile to his compatriot Mehdi Taremi: in short, they are mobile forwards, intelligent on the pitch, and perceptive in everything they do. Mehdi’s career has gone from strength to strength, and I believe Saeed’s can too. He returned to his home country because it seems to me that he was not being properly utilised in Russia. However, as soon as his numbers become somewhat impressive, it would be interesting to see him enter the European market through secondary leagues such as the Portuguese, Belgian, or Dutch leagues. I believe that from there, and based on his development and performance, he can aim for other opportunities.