Numbers, at times, are harsher than any judgement. And Santiago Gimenez’s numbers in his 890 minutes this Serie A season tell the story of an extremely disappointing start: 0 goals and 0 assists. A very heavy statistic, making the Bebote the Milan striker with the worst initial output in the last 16 league campaigns.
The comparison with the past is merciless
The comparison with other centre-forwards who passed through Milanello and disappointed makes the picture even clearer. Alessandro Matri, often remembered as one of the club’s least successful signings, had still managed to score one goal after 890 minutes (in the defeat at Parma in November 2013). André Silva and Divock Origi had both reached 2 league goals, Balotelli had 1 goal and 2 assists, Kalinic had 3 goals, while Abraham last season had 2 goals and 2 assists. Even players not always considered out-and-out strikers, such as Menez and Morata, had produced 4 goals in their first 890 minutes, respectively in the 2014/15 and 2024/25 seasons. Gimenez, meanwhile, on the eve of the 38th Serie A matchday, is still stuck on zero, and for a Milan striker, that simply cannot be enough.
Future hanging in the balance: enough talk, only the World Cup can save him (maybe)
After a season like this, Santiago Gimenez’s future in the Rossoneri shirt is inevitably under discussion. It is true: there was the injury, as well as a tactical context that perhaps did not fully bring out his qualities, but a player who arrived from Feyenoord with a scoring rate close to one goal every two matches, and who cost more than €30 million, cannot stop at 7 goals in 36 appearances for Milan, only one of which came this season. To remain at the centre of the project, he will need a strong response: a World Cup, in front of his own people, as a protagonist, along with a convincing pre-season. And even that may not be enough, because if not even against Cagliari he manages at least one moment of inspiration, then rather than being a long-term investment, Gimenez risks becoming a problem that needs solving, as relayed via Milannews.it.
