Costly coup turns sour: Giménez under pressure at AC Milan
January 2025, indoors. With Álvaro Morata on his way out after clashes with Sergio Conceição, AC Milan were desperate for a centre-forward. Their gaze turned north, to the Netherlands. There was a striker in form, five goals in four Champions League games, and already long admired in the Rossoneri scouting reports. He also happened to be leading the line for their next European opponents, Feyenoord. The deal was done. More or less.
That’s how Santiago Giménez landed at AC Milan just a few months ago. A costly move: €32 million plus €3m in bonuses and a sell-on clause. And it has hardly been a happy story. His welcome in AC Milan was warm, the headlines glowing, the applause genuine. The “Bebote” even started brightly: bang-bang, two goals in his first two league outings. But from February to late April, those would remain his only ones. He scored in Europe too, only for fate to twist the knife, his goal in the second leg was not enough, Feyenoord advanced instead, despite losing their star striker to their Italian rivals.
September 2025, outdoors at night. Unless there are surprises, Giménez will start tonight’s Coppa Italia tie against Lecce.
“He’s put in good performances, he’s had chances,” said Massimiliano Allegri in his press conference. “Right now he hasn’t scored yet, maybe he will.”
Maybe. So far this season: five appearances, no goals. Confidence is low. Over the summer, Milan explored countless ways to move on from their striker. They drew up a long list of alternatives, even floated a swap deal with Dovbyk. They brought in Christopher Nkunku, Rafael Leão is back, and Christian Pulisic is scoring.
For Giménez, tonight feels like a last chance, or close to it. The winter idol whose fire quickly burned out.
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