Ando leaves Esteghlal, eyes Traktorsazi

PressTV – TEHRAN, Iran’s well-known football midfielder, Andranik Teymourian, has decided to leave the Tehrani outfit, Esteghlal.

Teymourian, also known as Ando by Iranian football fans, reached an agreement with Esteghlal’s Chairman Bahram Afsharzadeh on Wednesday to part with the club, IRNA reported.

Teymourian is believed to be in talks with Traktorsazi, an affluent club based in the city of Tabriz in northwestern Iran.

Traktorsazi is now third in Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League table. The club is considered one of the richest in the Iranian football as it offers more lucrative contracts to players.

An Iranian of the Armenian origin, Teymourian helped Iran on a breathtaking ride through the qualification stage for the 2014 World Cup. He was regarded as Iran’s best player in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He has 83 national caps and eight goals to his name.

Ando is also known for his shining days under Sam Allardyce in Bolton Wanderers and is one of the few Iranian footballers who could successfully settle in the English Premier League. He played for three clubs in England, including Bolton and Fulham from 2006 to 2010.