The Mexican centre-forward, signed for almost €35 million, risks having already reached the end of his time in red and black.
One year can mean nothing, but in the footballing life of Santiago Giménez, and especially in his Milan experience, it feels like an eternity. The player who arrived in Italy in January 2025 with impressive numbers from Feyenoord, hailed as the man of providence and a symbol of the American ownership’s desire to relaunch the team after a disappointing first half of the season, purchased for €32 million plus bonuses, is now already counted among the transfer market’s mystery men. Milan tried to sell him as early as last summer and, after a series of underwhelming appearances in the first three months of the season and no league goals to his name, the Mexican has completely disappeared from the radar.
A downward spiral
After five months of a difficult adaptation period last season, in which, despite ups and downs, he still managed to score six goals across the league and the Champions League play-offs, the 2001-born striker was often used as a starter under Massimiliano Allegri from August until 28 October. On that date, during the match against Atalanta, he was forced off with a problem to his right ankle. According to those close to him, Giménez had been carrying the issue for some time and attempted to resolve it through two months of conservative treatment. He returned to training with the squad on 10 December but, just nine days later, decided to undergo surgery to definitively fix the problem.
Gimenez's season is compromised...
"Giménez will be out for three to four months." Massimiliano Allegri left no room for doubt during the pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Cagliari, effectively confirming that the Mexican international’s season is almost entirely compromised. This was another reason for Milan to accelerate at the end of December on the signing, on loan with an option to buy from West Ham, of German striker Niclas Füllkrug, and to assess in recent days possible offers for Christopher Nkunku, who is of interest to Fenerbahçe and whose future in red and black is uncertain despite having arrived only in the final hours of the summer window and having recently broken his duck with a brace against Verona just five days ago.
The World Cup shop window
If Allegri’s recovery timeline is borne out, Giménez would only return between April and May at best, potentially available for the final push in the league and in time to make Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre’s World Cup squad. The feeling around his future at Milan, however, is that next summer, perhaps taking advantage of the World Cup shop window, could mark a definitive separation. Despite a contract running until June 2029, with Allegri on the bench and Igli Tare as sporting director, the club has worked to find him a new destination. A proposed swap with Roma’s Dovbyk last August did not materialise, but Giménez remains a player with a market in England and Germany, which are the two destinations to watch most closely, as relayed via Calciomercato.com.
The Pulisic and Leão factors
An unthinkable ending just a year ago, when Giménez arrived in Milan on the back of 11 goals scored with Feyenoord, including a Champions League brace against Bayern Munich, and began his Italian adventure with three goals in his first four official appearances against Empoli, Verona and his former club. Today the scenario has completely changed, also due to Christian Pulisic’s scoring explosion under Allegri. With ten goals across the league and Coppa Italia, the American is currently the team’s top scorer, along with Rafael Leão’s use in a new role as a central forward. Milan already appear ready to turn the page and build their near future around different profiles than Giménez.
