Milan is dealing with a major issue, the Santiago Gimenez situation. The Mexican striker is in a difficult moment, with zero league goals, poor performances, an ankle problem, and the team is feeling the impact.
Gimenez, a lot has happened in less than a year...
His Milan spell has been full of ups and downs despite arriving a little over nine months ago. He joined as the future of the attack, and in his first months under Conceicao he scored but never convinced.
In the summer he looked set to be a key piece, but he ended up one step away from leaving. His departure did not happen because he believed he could perform well and because there was no agreement with Roma for a swap with Artem Dovbyk.
He started the season with Milan but scored only once in the Coppa Italia, without finding the net in Serie A. His overall play declined too. Early on he looked wasteful but at least useful for the team structure, while in recent matches he seemed disconnected from the rest of the squad.
The ankle injury makes things worse for Milan and Gimenez...
Right before the break, another obstacle emerged, the flare-up of an ankle issue. It kept him out of the last two matches against Roma and Parma, stopped him from joining the national team, and even prevented him from training with the group at Milanello in recent days.
It is a serious injury that affected his recent outings, but it is also surrounded by uncertainty. The announcement did not come from the club as usual but from the player himself, who hinted at a long absence. Max Allegri later toned this down, speaking about a possible return in the derby.
Now the hard part, the next weeks will be decisive
The club and staff must decide how to handle the upcoming weeks. On one side they need to recover a talent both for his potential impact in front of goal and to avoid losing value ahead of the winter market. On the other side they face risks like putting him back on the pitch too soon and worsening the ankle issue or dropping important points because of his lack of contribution.
The Gimenez situation from now until January, or until the end of the year if he stays, is difficult, but it must be resolved to aim for the best positions.
Source: Milan Press
