GdS: An ‘uncomfortable situation’ – why Gimenez could realistically leave Milan in January

The winter transfer window is less than one month away, and there is a growing chance that Santiago Gimenez could be sold.

La Gazzetta dello Sport begin a report by asking a ‘legitimate’ question: will we see Gimenez in a Milan shirt again? In training yes, as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, but he is expected to be out for the Lazio game on Thursday night and the Torino trip on Monday.

Individual training sessions are scheduled at least until the end of the week, followed by a return to the squad and a phase of high-intensity training. Meanwhile, December is ticking away and we are heading towards January, which in turn will open the way to a potential departure.

Interest from England

There is a lot of talk about a market in the Premier League for Gimenez, above all from West Ham and Sunderland who are ‘reportedly ready to make an approach’. Milan are yet to receive any official offers at present.

It’s possible these are indirect inquiries or that the player’s agent is exploring alternative options, both in England and in other foreign markets. Gimenez had given up on looking elsewhere in the summer, despite Milan and Allegri offering him no guarantee of a starting role.

The Mexican had preferred to give himself more time with the Rossoneri to finally shine. Today, however, the situation is different. Rafael Leao is the designated centre-forward, Pulisic the de facto striker, with Christopher Nkunku the primary alternative to the starting pairing.

The issue is essentially tactical: Allegri demands players who vary their movements, intending to leverage speed on the break rather than the physicality in the penalty area and the lay-offs of a professional striker. This is why Gimenez is thinking: at Milan he risks finding limited space.

It’s the opposite of what Santi needs to try to resurface from a difficult moment, which is guarantees of use and a massive dose of confidence. Allegri has always been kind and appreciative of the striker’s commitment, believing he put in some selfless performances.

However, teamwork alone was no longer deemed satisfactory: it’s legitimate to ask strikers for goals, and Santi – barring one goal against Lecce in the Coppa Italia – has never responded to this request in nine league games and 627 minutes on the pitch.

A matter of timing

Then there was the ankle injury that forced him to be substituted after 62 minutes of Atalanta-Milan, back on October 28. It was an issue that Santi himself had wanted to make known to the Milan fans and beyond, via his Instagram profile.

It was a way of underlining how physical conditioning may have contributed to his decline in performance level. Despite the pain, Gimenez had dedicated himself to the cause, a commitment recognised not only by the coach but by the fans themselves.

The fans never seemed to turn on him, but now the times for fans have also changed: with the team unexpectedly at the top and empowered to dream big, no one can afford inconclusive performances. For Gimenez, the pressure would increase while the opportunities, on the contrary, would decrease.

It is an ‘uncomfortable situation’, as per the paper. For this reason, the striker seems to have changed his perspective, now willing to look around. And the club will do the same: evaluating potential offers for Gimenez is in the club’s best interest, following the €28.5m investment in January.

Now, any proceeds could be reinvested in more functional players, suited to the characteristics required by the coach. Milan are considering it as is Santi, and January is just around the corner.