For the AC Milan club management, the summer transfer market window is now only a memory, and the one smiling again is Santiago Gimenez. The Mexican striker, who will return to Milanello in the coming hours after the international break, played about 60 minutes with “El Tri,” scoring a beautiful goal and almost netting a second, denied only by a miracle save from the goalkeeper. Santi broke his duck for the first time this season, and now he does not want to stop. The former Feyenoord forward fought hard in recent months to secure Milan: first between January and February, pushing for the move to Milan, and then at the end of August, fighting to stay and prove that his value and qualities are worthy of Milan.
His bond with the Milano city is actually strong. The fans adore him. It is enough to read the comments under his Instagram posts on the day the market closed. He wants to repay that love with positive performances. The numbers show 22 appearances, 6 goals, and 4 assists, while in the first 3 games of this season he found the net twice, (but both were ruled offside unfortunately for him), and provided an assist in the Coppa Italia fixture against Bari.
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The impression is that he sweated more off the pitch, battling among sporting directors, executives, agents, and CEOs, than on the pitch against opponents, just to be able to keep wearing the Rossoneri colors. That is because first ex Milan coach Sergio Conceicao, then current tactician Massimiliano Allegri, did not show him much trust. Especially the Portuguese coach, who despite the 32 million euros spent in February 2025, often benched ‘El Bebote’, even reducing him to third choice behind Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic (both have already left in the summer). After the initial excitement and the bad luck of exiting the UEFA Champions League competition against his former team, Santiago Gimenez lost some feeling, and you could see it even in his demeanor.
The dynamic striker, a box killer with a precise left foot, seemed to lose sharpness week after week. From the missed penalty in Naples to the red card against Roma, it was a slow decline for the 22-year-old forward. But the fire inside Gimenez never stopped burning for the Rossoneri, which is why his love for the AC Milan club and the fans could now turn into a strong desire for redemption.
What did Santiago Gimenez's father say?
In a recent interview with ClaroSports, Christian Gimenez had the following to say about his son’s situation and director Igli Tare’s words about potentially swapping him for Roma’s Artem Dovbyk:
“I felt awful, really awful. It was a rough night. I didn’t sleep, constantly keeping up with what was happening and staying in touch with the club. After hearing the sporting director’s words, it was tough. The transfer window was closing, so I had to stay on top of everything. It was all very strange. We didn’t have time to figure out if it was true that the club wouldn’t consider him for the season. This is a World Cup year, and if Santi didn’t have a chance to fight for a starting spot, it would’ve been complicated and tough. But in the end, we made a good decision. I don’t know if they decided afterward or were already aware of it. We’re happy Santi is still at Milan. At one point, they doubted his abilities and his qualities because both the coach and the sporting director are new. They’ll get to know him by coaching and working with him. Tare and Allegri spoke with Santiago. It all felt odd to me because he started two out of three matches and a friendly. Now there’s a bit of calm with the national team, then he’ll return to Milan, and we’ll see what happens. I think this whole ordeal will bring out the beast inside him.”
Now, Santiago Gimenez has to prove himself:
Then there is the pitch, and right now Allegri does not have many alternatives. He will have to rely on his number 7 against Bologna, since Nkunku is not yet ready and Leao will likely be out. Santi will be called upon to respond with goals and performances, to prove he is Milan’s central striker, the reference point up front. Gimenez has goals in his blood, that is undeniable. In every match he finds the net. Lately, though, he has been unlucky, with goals ruled out for one reason or another, but when he is fit, he rarely misses. This is why the match against Bologna must be his game. Because the season is only starting, and above all, because Milan now needs him.
His legs are turning faster now, and visually the impression is that he is back to the player he was a few months ago, when almost everything went his way. Last night he scored a gem into the top corner, letting the ball slip between his legs before striking a rocket into the top corner. This is what the fans and, above all, the coach expect from him. To stop thinking about the external factors, and focus only on the pitch. Because when he wants to, he is a top player. The hope is that he follows the same path as Olivier Giroud, who started with some difficulties and then never stopped scoring.
